Can our daughter deduct student loan interest paid in a prior year that was not previously deducted?

[SaraTShelby]

This is the first year (2018) my daughter will be claiming herself on her taxes. Because in previous years she was claimed on our taxes, (and she is named on the student loans,)  we understood that neither we or she could claim the interest paid. She is now on her own and filing her own taxes claiming herself as an exemption. Is there a way for her to now claim the expense for the interest that was paid in years prior to 2018 since neither her or us could claim the interest in the years the interest was paid?

[MinhT · Accepted solution]

No, your daughter cannot claim the student loan interest deduction for previous years on her 2018 tax return, even if the amounts were not claimed in previous years.

For previous years, when you claim your daughter as a dependent, you could have claim her student loan interest deduction IF either parent was a co-signer on the loan, even if her name was on the loan.

If this is the case, you'll need to amend the previousyears' returns to claim the deduction.