Can i list what i paid for tuition and fees even if my tuition and fees were paid for by my student loans. EARNED income and support myself just needed loans for school?

[SweetieJean]

How old are you? Your screen name suggests 21.

[zstagg21]

22

[Vanessa]

Yes, If you took out a loan to cover the cost of your tuition and fees you can still claim the credits and deductions for your tuition depending on if you qualify based on the rest of your situation for the credits or deduction.

See IRS  Paid with borrowed funds section. 

"You can claim an American opportunity credit for qualified education expenses paid with the proceeds of a loan. Use the expenses to figure the American opportunity credit for the year in which the expenses are paid, not the year in which the loan is repaid. Treat loan payments sent directly to the educational institution as paid on the date the institution credits the student's account".Tuition paid with loan 

[Bsch4477]

If you are not eligible for American Opportunity Credit you may be eligible for Lifetime Learning credit..  The tuition and fees adjustment is no longer available.

[zstagg21]

Yes i took out a student loan to cover the costs of my tuition and fees and i am not sure if i am eligible for any credit as i am simply asking this question regarding the turbotax tuition and fees question in which it asks "Enter the total amount of tuition and fees you pay for the year."

[zstagg21]

i guess my question highlights the "you pay" portion of that sentence. Most statements that say this may mean "out of pocket" so i want to clarify if it is that or means regardless of how you paid for the tuition and fees to just list what you paid.

[Hal_Al]

You enter what was paid; regardless of the source of funds, that was used to pay it.

[Hal_Al]

It's complicated.

First, and most important: tuition, fees and other qualified expenses (books and other course materials) paid by loan money qualifies for the credits.

Here's the complicated part. A student, under age 24, is only eligible for the refundable portion of the American Opportunity Credit (AOC) if he supports himself by working. You cannot be supporting yourself on parental support, 529 plans or student loans & grants.  It is usually best if the parent claims that credit. 

Educational expenses are part of your support. So, even though you have earned income, it's unlikely that you paid more than half of your support with that earned income, since loans paid for a significant portion of your support.

If you are 24 or older, or married, all that doesn't matter.

That support rule does not apply to the Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC) or the non refundable part of the AOC.

You cannot claim a credit if you are, or can be, claimed as a dependent by someone else.

[zstagg21]

Well here is the thing, i made earned income of around $17,000.00 for the 2017 year in which i supported myself off of. Where i live and pay rent on my own and have not lived with my parents since 2013-14 and took out about $7,000.00 for loans in 2017. So yes i am under 24 but i have been supporting myself only off my own earned income for a while.

[Hal_Al]

17,000 / 24,000 = 71%. So, yes it's save to say you supported yourself with earned income.
The earned income support question is part of the personal info interview, in Turbotax, not  the education interview. If you answer that question, correctly, TT will give you the AOC, even though your birthdate tells it you are under 24.

[zstagg21]

Thanks!