My daughter is a high school sr, but also enrolled as a full-time student in a music conservatory/college. She travels for performances. Can we deduct travel expenses?

[yinglam]

We pay the college/university admin fees, health fees. Her music performances are often paid, but not always the travels and meals. She's basically a prefessional free-lance musician.

[HelenaC]

Yes, you can deduct expenses for side jobs. She can deduct travel, mileage, tolls, parking, etc. on the Schedule C, Profit or Loss From Business.

See When do I need to report income from a side job?

Note: Travel is not a qualified education expense. See What are examples of education expenses?

[yinglam]

So do I have to file a return for my daughter separately? or can I file this expense under my return?  Also, she attends music festivals as part of her music study.  Can I deduct the festival tuition/fees and travel expenses as part of her college education expenses?

[HelenaC]

Yes, you have to file a tax return for your daughter if she gets paid for her music performances. You stated "Her music performances are often paid".

Are the festivals tuition? If yes, they should be on her 1098-T form. Travel is not a college education expenses. You may be able to deduct these as business expenses.

Qualified Education Expenses you can deduct:  
Tuition
Enrollment fees
Expenses paid to school, on condition of enrollment (lab fees, for example)
Certain books, supplies, and course-related equipment
Expenses listed above (for the following semester), as long as the semester begins in the first three months of 2019

[yinglam]

Thanks for the info.  Since she's still a student in the start of her career, her expenses for the performances far exceeds her pays.  And her pays are under the requirement for filing a tax return as a minor.  Do I still have to file her return separately in oder to deduct those music travel related expenses?  In addition, she also travels for lessons (one of the professor) lives in NYC and she has to travel to him for lessons at times.  The school covers for the train ride, but we have to pay for her meals on the road.  Can that be deductible?