Only the parent who claims you as a dependent can enter the 1098-T on their tax return and claim the education credits. If you have two 1098-Ts for 2017, the parent who claims you, enters both 1098-Ts on their tax return. Your parents can't split them. See below:
If there are qualified education expenses for you during a tax
year, either you, or whoever is claiming you as a dependent, but not both of you, can claim an American
opportunity credit or lifetime learning credit for your expenses for that
year.
If someone claims an exemption for you on their tax return, then
only they are able to claim the credit based on your expenses. They would treat
any expenses paid (or deemed paid) by you as if they had paid them
themselves. They would include these expenses when figuring the amount of
your credit. And you, as her dependent, wouldn’t be able to claim the
credit.
Here's some more information:
There are
additional rules for each credit, but you must meet all three of the following for both:
- You, your dependent or a
third party pays qualified education expenses for higher education.
- An eligible student must be enrolled at an eligible
educational institution.
- The
eligible student is yourself, your spouse or a dependent you list on your
tax return.
See our
videos "What do you Need to Claim an Education
Credit?" and
find out "What you need to prepare your tax return."
