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The Daily Insight

Can student deduct student loan interest paid by parents?

Author

Andrew Ramirez

Published Apr 07, 2026

Generally, you can deduct interest only if you are legally required to repay the debt. But if parents pay back a child’s student loans, the IRS treats the transactions as if the money were given to the child, who then paid the debt.

Is Parent PLUS student loan interest tax deductible?

Yes, the student loan interest, on a parent plus loan, is deductible since the loan was taken out when the student was your dependent. For additional information, see the following TurboTax Article: What is a 1098-E: Student Loan Interest.

Can you deduct student loan interest paid?

Student loan interest is interest you paid during the year on a qualified student loan. It includes both required and voluntarily pre-paid interest payments. You may deduct the lesser of $2,500 or the amount of interest you actually paid during the year.

Can you write off parent PLUS loans?

Good news: As a Parent PLUS borrower, you are eligible to claim the Student Loan Interest Deduction on your taxes.

Who claims 1098-E parent or student?

Your parents may claim the education credit(1098-T) if they are claiming you as dependent. Your parents may claim the student loan interest depending on how the loan is set up: If the debt is in parent’s name, parents can claim the deduction if they paid it.

Does a 1098-e increase refund?

You do not file the 1098-E with a 1040 tax return and the form does not necessarily mean you can deduct student loan interest on your taxes. You can only deduct student loan interest when you use the funds on qualified educational expenses — usually just tuition, fees, supplies and books.

Can you deduct student loan interest without a 1098-e?

You might not get a 1098-E form if you paid less than $600 in interest on a student loan in a single year. And if you paid student loan interest that was less that $600, you may still be able to deduct that interest without a 1098-E, provided you meet all the requirements for the deduction.

How much does 1098-E affect tax return?

You use the 1098-E to figure your student loan interest deduction. You can deduct up to $2,500 worth of student loan interest from your taxable income as long as you meet certain conditions: The interest was your legal obligation to pay, not someone else’s. Your filing status is not married filing separately.

When do you not get a 1098-E for a student loan?

You might not get a 1098-E form if you paid less than $600 in interest on a student loan in a single year. If you haven’t received a 1098-E form but think you should have, contact your loan servicer and ask how much you paid in interest.

What do you need to know about the 1098-E?

The more you know, the less scary some of these forms can be. Next , here’s what you should know about the form 1098-E, Student Loan Interest Statement: A form 1098-E, Student Loan Interest Statement, is used to report interest of $600 or more paid to a lender for a student loan.

Do you have to file 1098-E if you get tax refund?

Once you’ve got everything filled out, it’s up to you to file your 1098-E either by mail or electronically. If you’re lucky enough to get a refund from the IRS this year, consider putting some or all of it toward extra student loan payments.

Where does Social Security number go on 1098-E?

Your Social Security Number may also be on the form – or just the last few digits. The first digits of the number may be redacted for your privacy. The financial information is reported on the right side of the form and it’s really brief. Crazy brief. It’s just one number. In box 1, your lender reports the interest received by you during the year.