It depends. You can only claim the AOTC for four tax years. If 2024 is his graduation year, you might already have claimed it for the four previous years. If you claimed it the year he started as a freshman in the fall, then you may have already used it for four years.
Yes, you would need to be able to claim him as a dependent to qualify to take the credit on your return.
To claim your child as your dependent, your child must meet either the qualifying child test or the qualifying relative test:
- To meet the qualifying child test, your child must be younger than you or your spouse if filing jointly and either younger than 19 years old or be a "student" younger than 24 years old as of the end of the calendar year.
- There's no age limit if your child is "permanently and totally disabled" or meets the qualifying relative test.
To qualify as a student, your child must be, during some part of each of any 5 calendar months of the year:
- A full-time student at a school that has a regular teaching staff and course of study, and a regularly enrolled student body at the school; or
- A student taking a full-time, on-farm training course given by a school described in (1), or by a state, county, or local government agency.
The 5 calendar months don't have to be consecutive.
Full-time student.
A full-time student is a student who is enrolled for the number of hours or courses the school considers to be full-time attendance.
See this IRS article for more information about the AOTC.
See IRS Publication 501 for more information about the rules for claiming dependents.
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