<p>Sorry for the misinformation about using the room and board to get the Hope or lifetime learning credit for room and board. It did work 2009 tax year if your dependent’s college was located in a midwestern disaster area only. It applied to my son and his school, and last year my son’s scholarships covered $5,926 (exact figure was taken from his account on school website) in room and board, which we used to get a lifetime learning tax credit of $2,370.40 (40% of the room and board total). It was quite a memorable windfall, considering we did not actually even pay the room and board.</p>
<p>Hoosiermom, if your kid went to IU Bloomington any part of 2009 and you or your kid or IU paid room and board, then you could amend your return and get the same tax credit assuming you qualify in all the other factors like income level, whether child can be claimed as a dependent, etc. per Publication 970 (see page 40 for a list of the qualifying counties).</p>
<p>Swimcatsmom, you can use the room and board tax credit in midwestern disaster areas for tax year 2009 for Hope credit or Lifetime Learning Credit.</p>