My daughter was away at college for 5 months and then returned home. Can I claim the housing costs at school for her support?

[newbie-do]

After the 5 months, she transferred to a school in town where we live and came back to live at home.  Can I claim the housing expense while she was at the out of town school?

[xmasbaby0 · Accepted solution]

No.  Room and board are not qualified education expenses.

[newbie-do]

Thanks, that answers most of the question and TurboTax tells me I am providing more than 6 months while she is living at home and is thus a valid dependent

[xmasbaby0]

Being away at school is just a "temporary absence" so you can still say they lived with you all year.

[BobinCT]

What are you asking?  Are you trying to figure out whether she provided over half her own support or are you trying to see if some education credit is available?  If the latter, then what xmasbaby0 wrote is the answer.

[newbie-do]

Thanks BobinCT, the education credit was answered by xmasbaby0 (as a "no") and she did not provide any of her support so she is my claimable dependent.