Q. Can I use his rent as the room / board and change the line 18 credit from zero (now) up to $4k (portion of his rent) to get some AOC credit without triggering the additional income being attributed to the 529 distribution earnings?
A. Yes. Off campus rent and food are eligible expenses for a 529 distribution. But, the amount is limited to the lesser of your actual cost or what the school charges on campus students for R&B (technically the school's "allowance for cost of attendance" for financial aid purposes).
