Can I use my education/loan payments from 16 on my 17 taxes if I got the Lifetime Learning Credit?

[moetolly12]

For my education deductions this year I qualified for the Lifetime Learning Credit. When I do my return next year do I include my education and student load payment info from this year along with 2017s being it didn't apply to 2016?

[MargaretL · Accepted solution]

No, only 2017 information should be entered on your 2017 tax return.  The fact that this year's amounts qualify you for the Lifetime Learning Credit and not the American Opportunity Credit is not relevant - because you still qualified for a credit.  Each year you can qualify for only one of the above credits. So you did apply your 2016 payments on your 2016 tax return since you got the Lifetime Learning Credit. No education expenses are ever carried forward to future years.