Write off the interest as long as you're not claimed as a dependent. By Kevin McCormally, Chief Content Officer January 6, 2017 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.See Also: 23 Tax Deductions You Can’t Afford to Overlook So as long as the child is no longer claimed as a dependent, he or she can deduct up to $2,500 of student-loan interest paid by Mom and Dad each year. And he or she doesn't have to itemize to use this money-saver. Mom and Dad can't claim the interest deduction even if they actually foot the bill because they are not liable for the debt. See more tax tips for your 2016 return: Deduct Job-Hunting Expenses Out-of-Pocket Charitable Deductions Deduct State Sales Tax