If my son filed his taxes before me to get credit for his education expenses can I still claim him as a dependent? He lived at home the entire year.

[KMOOREFLORES2001]

I paid all his expenses except for school

[BillM223]

On his return, did your son indicate that he could be taken as a dependent? If not, then when you file, your return will be rejected because his SS number has already been used.

Normally, if a child is a dependent, the parent takes the education credit. In this case, I am guessing that he did not state that he could be taken as a dependent, so he could get the education credit.

So, you are stuck. You should have filed first or at the same time as your son, with him stating that he could be a dependent, and you claiming him as a dependent, and you getting the education credits. Then you could have given him whatever benefit you got in cash.

But to undo this now, he would have to file an amended return, and you would have to wait 16 weeks or so for the amendment to be processed before you filed...not worth it.

[xmasbaby0]

Or-----file your own return that claims your son and the education credit and file it by mail since you cannot e-file.  The IRS will process a mailed return differently than an e-filed return.   You do not have to wait for your son to amend; you can mail your return when you have it ready.   Print it, sign it and date in ink, and mail it.   Your son will need to amend and change the way he answered the question in MY INFO that asked him if he could be claimed as someone else's dependent.

When you mail a tax return, you need to attach any documents showing tax withheld, such as your W-2’s or any 1099’s.  Use a mailing service that will track it, such as certified mail so you will know the IRS/state received the return.

Federal and state returns must be in separate envelopes and they are mailed to different addresses.  Read the mailing instructions that print with your tax return carefully so you mail them to the right addresses.