Thank you for this response.
"Moved out" means just that - I moved out of my mom's house when I began college, and I have been living on my own permanently since then in various off-campus settings. I do not live with either parent for any part of the year. Aside from what my dad pays for (car payment, car insurance, and phone bill) I pay for all of my day-to-day living expenses. My mom covers none of that.
Also, whether or not I provide "half of my support" seems really ambiguous. The cost of car payment, car insurance, and phone bill, which my dad provides, comprises around half of my monthly living expenses alone. I personally pay for everything else. You stated that scholarships count as external support, but I could likely survive my current lifestyle with my earned income alone -- the scholarships mostly exist as a safety net by giving me a considerable amount of savings.
At the end of the day, what really happens if I claim myself and both of my parents agree not to claim me? I understand claiming myself won't benefit me tax-wise and I won't get a larger tax refund, but me being lower-income grants me access to certain medical services (i.e., Medicaid), which I need because I have never been able to afford insurance. I don't care if my mom gets a tuition credit or not. It's not like I'll be seeing that money, anyway.
Also, thanks for the info on the American Opportunity Credit! I'll have to do more research on that. Never heard of it!
