Form 1098 for borrower and coborrower

[snowflower27]

My friend and I borrowed a home together. I am the borrower and he is the co-borrower. We just got the 2017 form 1098. It has both our names on it. However, in the taxpayer/borrower's ID box, only my SSN is shown there. He paid all the mortgage last year. Will he be able to claim all the mortgage interest for his 2017 tax return even though my tax ID is shown in the form 1098? Or do we have to claim half and half for each person?

[Carl]

The person who is legally obligated to pay the loan, and actually paid the loan claims the interest deduction. Doesn't matter whose SSN is on the form, so long as the person claiming it is on the mortgage *and* actually paid it.