Family Who Can I Claim as a Tax Dependent? Read the Article Open Share Drawer Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Written by TurboTaxLisa Published May 31, 2024 4 min read The question, “Who can I claim as my dependent?” has remained a top question for many taxpayers. It is an area where tax deductions and credits are often overlooked or inaccurately reported on tax returns. Under tax reform, you can no longer claim the dependent exemption — but you still need to know who qualifies as your dependent for other tax benefits like the Child Tax Credit (up to $2,000 per child under age 17) or the $500 Other Dependent Credit for children over 17 years old or for those who aren’t your children. While we’ll help you to understand who may be eligible to claim as a dependent below, don’t worry about remembering these rules come tax time. TurboTax has you covered. Who Can I Claim As a Tax Dependent? The 5 tests that qualify a child as a dependent Relationship: Must be your child, adopted child, foster child, brother or sister, or a descendant of one of these (grandchild or niece/nephew). Residence: Must have the same residence for more than half the year (exceptions apply). Age: Must be under age 19 or under 24 and a full-time student for at least 5 months. They can be any age if they are totally and permanently disabled. Support: Received more than half of their support from you. Joint Support: The child cannot file a joint return for the year (unless to claim a refund of taxes paid or withheld). The 4 tests that will qualify a relative as a dependent Not a Qualifying Child: They are not the “qualifying child” of another taxpayer or your “qualifying child.” Gross Income: The dependent being claimed earns less than $5,050 in 2024 ($4,700 in 2023). Total Support: You provide more than half of the total support for the year. Member of Household or Relationship: The person (a friend, girlfriend, non-blood relative) must live with you all year as a member of your household or be related to you. Many taxpayers are surprised to find they may be able to claim a boyfriend, girlfriend, domestic partner, or friend as a qualifying relative if: They are a member of your household the entire year. The relationship between you and the dependent does not violate the law, for example, you can not still be married to someone else. (Also, check your individual state law, as some states do not allow you to claim a boyfriend or girlfriend as a dependent even if your relationship doesn’t violate the law). You meet all the other criteria for “qualifying relatives” (gross income and support). Dependent FAQ Question: My 26-year-old is living with me. He works and made more than $5,050 in 2024. Can I claim him as a dependent? Answer: No, because your child would not meet the age test, which says your “qualifying child” must be under age 19 or 24 if a full-time student for at least 5 months out of the year. To be considered a “qualifying relative”, his income must be less than $5,050 in 2024 ($4,700 in 2023). Question: I started work in September of this year and had my baby in March. Can I claim my baby as a dependent on my taxes? Answer: Yes, even if you have a baby on December 31, you can claim them as a dependent on your taxes. Question: My boyfriend fully supports me. We live with his mother, but my boyfriend pays our full support, including rent. His mother wants to claim us as dependents. Who can claim the deduction? Answer: As long as your boyfriend is not married (be sure to check your individual state law regarding claiming a boyfriend or girlfriend as some states don’t comply with the federal law), supplies over half of your support, and you lived with him the entire year and did not earn more than $5,0500, you would qualify as his dependent. His mother could not claim you since she did not provide more than half of the support. Question: My spouse has not worked all year except for one month, can I claim him as a dependent? Answer: You cannot claim a spouse as a dependent. However, if you file married filing jointly, you may have more tax benefits. No matter what moves you made last year, TurboTax will make them count on your taxes. Whether you want to do your taxes yourself or have a TurboTax expert file for you, we’ll make sure you get every dollar you deserve and your biggest possible refund – guaranteed. Get started Previous Post Nanny and Housekeeper Tax Rules Next Post Fun in the Sun: Summer Day Camp Expenses May Qualify… Written by Lisa Greene-Lewis Lisa has over 20 years of experience in tax preparation. Her success is attributed to being able to interpret tax laws and help clients better understand them. She has held positions as a public auditor, controller, and operations manager. Lisa has appeared on the Steve Harvey Show, the Ellen Show, and major news broadcast to break down tax laws and help taxpayers understand what tax laws mean to them. For Lisa, getting timely and accurate information out to taxpayers to help them keep more of their money is paramount. More from Lisa Greene-Lewis Follow Lisa Greene-Lewis on Twitter. 1,003 responses to “Who Can I Claim as a Tax Dependent?” « Older Comments Newer Comments » My cousin recently received his family social security numbers, he want to file tax return for 2011 and they just arrived. Can he claim them as depenants if he lived here and they lived in Mexico? Can he go back three years? He would send them money but they did not have Social Security numbers. Hi Lisa Based on all the information here I have told my sister that she can not count her daughter as a qualifying child or qualifying relative for 2011. Am I right? Her daughter lived at home all year and my sister paid more then half her support, her daughter was a full time student in Jan to May 2011 (5months) she was 23. In May 2011 she turned 24. She then got a job but made slightly more then $3,700.00. Does my daughter who I claim as a depedant have to file a tax return she had 3600.00 in income and 2900.00 in interest. she is a student and is 20. Hi Lisa, Our son is 23 and a full time student living at home with us. He earned $9600.00 that went into his saviings. We paid all his expenses which were at least $13,000.00. Can we claim him? I’m confused over what he earned versus the expenses we paid . Thank you for your help I am divorced and am receiving alimony. I don’t have a job. Can I still claim my children? Hi Jana, You may be able to claim them as long as: – They did not provide over half of their support own support – They lived with you more than half the year – You follow what is in the divorce decree regarding custody – They meet the age requirements for qualifying child (If not, they may be considered “qualifying relatives”) Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Lisa, My 19 year old son graduated high school in 2011. He has not attended college so far this year. If he goes back to school in August and finishes the year, will I be able to claim him on my 2012 taxes? The fall term will probably begin mid-August, so he will be in college 4 1/2 months to the end of the year. He will live with me the whole year and I pay all expenses for the household. He works part time and should make over the allowable taxable income for 2012. Thank you. I work partime25 hrs and claim for my partner who doesnt work can i take him off the claim as he doin bits of work that i dont know about? Please reply My 41 yo stepdaughter lived with me the entire year and I provided total support. She is married but does not live with him and both had no income. They did not file a tax return. Can I claim her? Hi Lisa my husband owes more than $2500 in back child support but pays his monthly dues,can he claim me and my 3yr old son? I havent work in almost 2 years.If so are they going to deduct it in that back child support? Hi Lisa, My boyfriend was laid off in March of 2011, and has been collecting unemployment while desperately searching for a new job. I’ve been supporting both of us, and I’d like to claim him as a dependent, provided that he meets all of the qualifications above (he’s lived with me for the past 3 years, I’ve paid for most of his living expenses,bills, etc.). My question is, does unemployment count towards your gross earnings? I’d assume it does, but I just want to check-I definitely want to make sure I’m in compliance with the rules. Also, if it turns out that I can claim him, will he have to amend his already-submitted return? He filed before we found out I may be able to claim him-if it helps, he claimed 1 on his W2. Thanks! My former stepson (stepson by my ex-wife) lived with me for all of 2011. He was a full-time student and is 23 years old. He pays nothing in rent/food/utilities, I pay all his living expenses. Can I claim him as a dependent even though he is technically no longer a relative? His mother passed away so no one else would be claiming him. Thank you! Hi Lisa We have a daughter who is 22, that lived with us, or at college, and that we paid for more than half of her support in 2011. We have 19,000 of educational expenses for her. She was married December 30, 2011. Upon submitting our efile return it was rejected for 0509. I know she and her husband filed a joint return Was my understanding they were filing without claiming her as an exemption. She had no taxable/reportable income for 2011. Please advise. My daughter has unemployment and part time earnings that total about $6200. Can she claim her 7 year old son who lives with her? I am her mother and I send money to her every month to help. No one else can claim her son. Please help! This is my 3rd attempt with the same question and no response yet. Pleeeeeeaaaaassssseeeee! My daughter and grandson moved in with us last year. She turned 24 last May. She was in school full time for a portion of the year and had income of less than $3,700 for the year. We provided support in the form of food, shelter, clothing, medical, transportation, and child care expenses. My grandson did receive approximately $200 in child support from his father each month and, even though she did not meet the minimum income standards, my daughter did file her taxes claiming her son as her dependent in order to receive her refund. Do my husband and I have any options as far as claiming either of them in order to recoup some of our expenses? I have been told I can have my daughter amend her tax return and then we can claim her and our grandson on our taxes. Is this correct? What are my options? Thanks for your help! My foster daughter lived with me from dec 31, 2010 to july 22, 2011. she is 14 can I claim her as a dependent? My daughter is 22, made $9300 in 2011. In 2011 she was full-time college student for 6 months and a part-time college student for 6 months. She resides at her college. Can we claim her as a dependent? please help!!!! i need to know what exactly AMT depreciation is and how to calculcate this. my refund went up quite a bit after inputing “0” where this applies. I dont want to have to repay or owe due to this mistake. if i have nieces and nephews who i send money to help support them, but they are not in the United States, they live in Mexico can i add them as my dependent Hi Ashley, You can claim them as “qualifying relatives” if: – You provide over half of their support – They each do not earn more than $3,700 Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Hi Lisa, My father-in-law is retired and lived with us for the entire 2011 year. I am not sure how much he received in total for the year from his retirement account, Social Security, etc. Can we claim his as a dependent? Hello BB, You can claim your father-in-law as a dependent if both of the following are true: 1. He is a US citizen, resident alien, national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico, and; 2. He did not provide more than half of his support and didn’t make more than $3,700. Hope this helps. Thanks, Denise Elliott I have a son over the age limit for dependent but would be a qualifying relative. We share the same home, no income for 2011 and I have met all his expenses including $3600 health insurance. He is not a student. I file Turbo Tax. Do I just add his name and put qualifying relative instead of son? Also Can I deduct the cost of the insurance premiums, Thank you, Bette Hi Betty, You can claim your son as a dependent and you would do that, as you’ve indicated, by indicating that he is a qualifying relative. For the insurance premiums, the amount paid would need to exceed 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income. Since you are using TurboTax, you can enter all of your eligible medical expenses and the program will determine whether or not you meet the threshold. Thank you, Denise Elliott My husband did not live with me 1/1/11 – 7/31/11. He was on unemployment and living with a relative. He moved back in on 8/1/11 as he had no unemployment benefits after 7/31/11. I have supported our 4 kids all 2011 and him as of 8/1/11. How should I file and can I claim him? Hello Tonya, From what you’ve mentioned, it sounds like you should choose the Married Filing Joint filing option with four dependents (your kids). Remember that you will need to include your husband’s unemployment on your return as income. Hope this helps! Thanks, Denise Elliott My mother have been with us in America since last August 2011.Can we caim her as a dependeent? Hello Sharif, You can claim your mother as a dependent if all of the following are true: 1. She is a US citizen, resident alien, national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico, and; 2. She lived with you for more than half a year, and; 3. She did not provide more than half of her support and didn’t make more than $3,700. Hope this helps. Thanks, Denise Elliott My daughter and grandson moved in with us last year. She turned 24 last May. She was in school full time for a portion of the year and had income of less than $3,700 for the year. We provided support in the form of food, shelter, clothing, medical, transportation, and child care expenses. My grandson did receive approximately $200 in child support from his father each month and, even though she did not meet the minimum income standards, my daughter did file her taxes claiming her son as her dependent in order to receive her refund. Do my husband and I have any options as far as claiming either of them in order to recoup some of our expenses? I have been told I can have my daughter amend her tax return and then we can claim her and our grandson on our taxes. Is this correct? What are my options? Thanks for your help! Hello Diane, If your daughter amends her tax return to not claim her son and to indicate that she can be/will be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return, then – once her return has been accepted by IRS – you will be able to claim both of them as dependents. Thank you, Denise Elliott We are husband/wife and 2 kids ( 11 yrs / 2 yrs). During 2011, I put $1800 in my employer dependent care fsa and claimed it because my daughter was going to daycare/after-school when my wife went to my native country ( i.e outside of USA) for 5 months. I spent around $2100 on daycare. I have receipt of all daycare and my W2 has entry of $1800 in line 10. I am filling tax as married filling jointly. I was going thru different IRS publication but did not find good answer that whether or not I am eligible to take benefit of dependent care credit. Can you pls reply Is it realy a difficult question? Hello Manu, Yes, you can claim the Dependent Care Credit. You will need to include the amount on Box 10 with the rest of your W-2 information then report the total amount of your dependent care expenses in the Deductions & Credits section of the product. To get there, from the Deductions & Credits table choose Child and Dependent care then answer the questions appropriately and TurboTax will do the rest. Thank you, Denise Lisa, my daughter was 20 years old in 2011, is a full time student living in the dorms. Last year, she studied abroad through her school program for a semester (for 5 months). She made less that $3,700. We provide her health insurance, car insurance, gas, etc. She carries her own student loans. Can we still claim her as a dependent? Hi Kara, Yes, you can claim her as a dependent. While she’s away at school, her permanent residence is still with you, and her student loans do not qualify as extra income. Thanks, Denise Elliott Hi Lisa! My 80 year old mother resides with my husband and I. She receives $500 SSI monthly = $6000 yearly, this is her only source of income. My husband and I assist her with any other expenses not covered by her monthly SSI check. Will my husband and I be able to claim her as a dependent for 2011? Looking forward to your reply. Thank you. Sara Hi Sara, Yes, you can claim your mother as a dependent. Her $6,000 Social Security income is not taxable, therefore she still makes less than the $3,700 limit, and meets all of the other requirements. Thank you, Denise Elliott Hi Denise, In a similar situation, my mother makes $6000 in SSI but also makes $5000 from my late fathers pension. Is pension taxable? Thanks, Doug McDonald My boyfriend is 18 and he goes to school full time. We live together and I support the household. i work and i go to college. could i claim him as a dependent. he doesnt work or anything. Hi Rina, It would depend on several factors: 1. Since he’s not related, he would need to have lived with you for the entire year in 2011; 2. No one else – like his parents or guardian – can claim him for 2011; 3. You must have provided over 50% of his support in 2011; 4. He must not have income of any kind – including scholarships, trust funds, etc. – greater than $3,700 for 2011; 5. He must have a Social Security Number or ITIN. Thank you, Denise Elliott I petitioned for my husband and daughter who are living outside the U.S. A month ago they got their visa interview and were approved. They came to the U.S. three weeks ago with Permanent Residence. They got their SSN last week. I want to know if I can claim them as dependents for 2011. Thank you. Hi Lauren, If they were living in Mexico or Canada for all of 2011, and meet all of the other requirements to be claimed as dependents, then you can claim them as dependents on your return. If, however, they were residents of any country other than Mexico or Canada, then you’ll have to wait and claim them as dependents on your 2012 return. Thank you, Denise Elliott Does college work-study count against the $3700 income limit to be a dependent for someone over 24? Hi Frances, Yes, because work-study income is taxable income, it would be included. The $3,700 income limit refers to taxable income. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Is the amount for dependency (the $3700 income limit) the same for 2012? And is the age still 24? The reality is that it is taking many kids longer than that to graduate from college so these rules are kind of archaic! Hi Frances, The income limit increases slightly for 2012 to $3,800, but the age limit is still the same. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis My ex wife wants to claim out 18 year old son as a dependent on her 2011 taxes. He is a Full Time College Student and lives solely with me (for last two years when not away at school. She provided no support whatsoever. I pay for his college, health insurance, meal plan…everything. Her argument is that our divorce decree states she claims all children as dependents if I fall behind on child support (for other two children) and I have. I was awarded back child support for the time he lived with me over the last two years. She is asking for a 1098T from me because my son does not speak with her. Which one of us can claim him? Hi, In general a qualifying child should be claimed by the parent who the child lives with the most more than half the year, however if your ex-wife has custody per the divorce decree and it says that she can claim him as a dependent the only way you could claim him is if she releases claim of exemption with Form 8332. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis My 19 year-old son earned no money in 2011, but got an insurance payment in early 2011. When he got that payout, he moved out and dropped out of high school. We paid for part of his living expenses during that time (i.e. food, gas for car, cell phone). He dropped out of high school for that semester. He then moved back home in June (after spending all the insurance proceeds) and we provided full support the rest of the year. He started back at high school in August and was a full-time student, finishing school in mid- December. He will officially graduate from high school in May 2012 because his school does not do mid-year graduations. His 19th birthday was 11/24/2011. Can I claim him for 2011? I think I figured this out – I missed the 5-month part the first time. He was a full-time student for 5 months (January, September, October, November, December – he didn’t drop out until February, and he started back mid-August); we provided more than half of his support; he did live with us more than half the year; he earned no money himself; so I think the answer is yes, we can claim him even though he was not under 19 at the end of the year. Hi, Yes, if he was a full-time student for at least five months, then you can claim him. Full-time college students have to be under 24. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Our son was a full time student Jan-May 2011, then graduated. He is 22. We provided full support until June. He lives on his own now and made more than $3700 last year. Can we claim him as a dependant? He filed taxes already and claimed himself. This is my 3rd attempt at asking my question, can I please have it posted/addressed? My husband and I have legal custody of my 14 year old cousin. Are we able to claim him as a qualifying child on our return? We were told that we couldn’t because we haven’t actually adopted him…how does this work? Hi Sally, You can claim him as a “qualifying relative” if: 1. You supplied over half of his support 2. He did not earn over $3,700 3. He was a U.S. citizen or national, resident of Mexico or Canada 4. He cannot be claimed by anyone else. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis thank you, Lisa! My next question is when you say “qualifying relative” when we file can we classify him as “son” since we do have custody, provided all of his support, and he didn’t earn anywhere near the amount you listed. Also, nobody else should be able to claim him since he lived with us 7 out of 12 months. We were told we had to list him under “other” instead of son, therefore, he didn’t show as a qualifying child…. I have a 26 year old daughter who attended college while staying with me in my household for the entire year. I understand she does not fall under the “qualifying child” category but maybe under the “qualifying relative” one, but WHERE on TurboTax do I indicate/fill this out? I have changed the personal information twice and it keeps saying she does not qualify due to her age. Please help! Hi Aida, Go back in the personal info section and click edit next to her name. Make sure you don’t miss answering any questions regarding claiming your daughter as a dependent. People often go through the interview quickly and miss places that should be checked off. Even if there are options that are “none of the above” that apply make sure you check it off. Pay special attention to the birthdate entered, the question about whether you supplied over half of your daughter’s support, and the amount of income she earned. If you still have difficulty, go to our free tax advice through the tax program so they can walk you through live. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Hi Lisa, My son is a full time student, and turned 24 on August 15, 2011.I paid his living expenses and tuition (over the amount of his Stafford Loan) in 2011. He worked during the summer and earned $7,500. His earnings were while he was still 23. Is there any way I can claim him as a dependent, as he was 23 for the majority of 2011? Thanks! Hi Pam, Unfortunately to claim him as a “qualifying child” he has to be under 24 in 2011. If he doesn’t meet age requirements you may have been able to claim him as a “qualifying relative”, however he earned too much in 2011. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis My daughter turned 21 in Dec. 2011. She is a fulltime student and works part time (not sure how much she earned this year). She does nto live at home, she has her own apartment. She gets the Post 911 GI Bill for BAH but it does not cover all of her living expenses, especially medical. If she earned less than $3700 can we claim her as a dependant? And if she has already filed her taxes this year is there a way for us to amend them? Hi Lisa, If your daughter did not supply over half of her own support you can claim her as a “qualifying child”. If she already filed her taxes and claimed herself then you could amend her tax return if you wanted to claim her as a dependent. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Hi Lisa Can my husband and I claim our children as dependants? Our son is 18, lives at home and is in a registered apprenticeship program. He works and receives payment for hours accumulated in this program. His income last year was 18,000. Our daughter lives at home 5 months of the year, is 22 and her income from summer employment was 4,000.00. she is in unversity. Thank you Hi Sharon, Son – Your son can still be claimed as a “qualifying child” as long as he does not supply over half of his own support. He would be required to file his own tax return due to his income so he may want an exemption for himself, if that is the case you could not claim him. Daughter- Your daughter could be claimed as a “qualifying child” as long as she was a full-time student for five months and she didn’t supply more than half of her own support. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Help ! So the question I have is this: My husband has 2 kids from his first marriage, Laurie, the eldest, turned 19 on March 19th of this year. She lives with her mom in NY but based on his divorce and what the decree stated, he has always claimed Laurie. Well Laurie now goes to college FT and also works FT, we’re pretty sure she made over $3,700.00 last year. Does that mean my husband can not claim her this year? Can my husband and I claim any of the expenses (food, shelter, clothing, child care, education, etc.) for my 24-year-old daughter and our grandson who lived with us for more than 6 months of 2011. She did file a return claiming our grandson and the $2700 she had in income but claimed no other deductions. My son and daughter in law live in my rental home. This past year they were unable to pay for rent because both were unemployed. They did not claim their two children on their Taxes this year. They were told that I may be able to claim the children. They are 7 and 5. Can I claim the children on mine even though they don’t live with me? If I count the rent that I have lost, I may qualify for paying over half of their support. Also, how do you determine how much support you have provided? I have been claiming the home as rental property, but not sure I can this year because of no income from it. Any info is appreciated. My daughter is 22. She graduated from College in May 2011. In August, she started a job in a different state. So, she was my dependent for more than 1/2 of the year and a full-time student for at least 5 months. However, she made about $8k last year. Do I claim her as my dependent? TIA! For 2011, our 22 year old daughter was a full time student (she graduated in May 2011) she got a job in her field and grossed $25,300.00 for the remainder of 2011; we previously paid for her tuition through College Illinois prior to 2011; we paid for all of her expenses for 2011 (room & board, books, food, car, insurance, etc. while in school) the only expense she pays now (since September 2011) is her car payment and gas. It’s our choice not to charge her for rent/food/insurance. Can we still claim her as a dependent for 2011 and if not can she file as a single and take the exemption? Sincerely, Shannon Hi Shannon, If she did not provide over half of her own support, was under 24 and a full-time student for at least 5 months, she could still qualify as a “qualifying child”. Your daughter, however is required to file her own tax return due to her income. In that case, she would not be able to claim a deduction for herself if you claim her as a dependent so you will both have to decide who will take the exemption. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Dear Lisa: Thank you for your quick response! I originally prepared a draft of her return (single with someone else claiming her) and our return where we had her listed as our dependent (because she met all of the qualifications) but I started to second guess myself because of her income. Sincerely, Shannon Can I claim my 22 year old daughter as a dependent? She was a full time student in 2011 until she graduated on June 18, 2011. She was living away from home in order to attend school, but I was paying her tuition, food and rent. Since July 4, 2011 she has been living on her own. How can a student, going away to school, EVER meet the requirement of having the same residence as the parent for more than half of the year? My mother passed away in 2010 and I was her power of attorney but forgot to claim her last year. Can I claim her this year since she is deceased and I had to much going on to claim her that year? My daughter and son-in-law are full time students. They lived with us for 5 month in 2011 and we gave them an additional $4000 to assist them with the other 7 months. Each made under $3700 during the year. They have filed married filing jointly. They receive Pell Grants to help pay for their education. Can we claim them as dependents? My daughter and son-in-law are both 23 years old. Son turned 24 yrs old on 2/11/12 and graduated May of 2011 from college but worked part time, making $5639. We paid for his living expeince but he paid for art supplies, with his income. How would we claim him? My mother-in-law has lived with us for last 7 yrs. she recently retired and now only receives ss income of about 1300mth. we have never charged her anything since she’s had limited income, but obviously she uses our water, electricity, has her own cable box, mini fridge, and most importantly pays no rent for the roof over her head. although i advised her last year that we wanted to try to claim her as a dependent for 2011, she went ahead and filed her own return. she had no income and received no refund, but she was afraid not to file. she is also concerned that if we claim her, it could affect her soc sec. can i still claim her anyway? My son is a full-time student, under 24, his primary residence is still with me, although he has an apartment all year long to go to school. During the school year his apartment is paid for from money we borrowed through his student loans, and during the summer he pays for the apartment with money that he has earned. How do the student loans work in considering if he is not paying for more than half of his own support or not. He also is working, and has made over 10,000. Can I still claim him? Hi Maurice, Since he is a full-time student under 24, you should be able to claim him has a “qualifying child” so the income he made will not be a factor. As a “qualifying child”, as long as he does not supply over half of his own support, you will be able to claim him as a dependent. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Hi Lisa My son is 19yrs old and lives at home he graduated from high school in June 2011.He worked from Oct-Dec 2011 and earned $4000 can we still claim? Hi Gaby, In order to claim him as a “qualifying child”, he would have to be under 19 at the end of 2011 unless he was a full-time college student for at least five months. If not, unfortunately you cannot claim him as a “qualifying child”. You would not be able to claim him as a “qualifying relative” since his income is over $3,700. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Why wouldn’t the time in High School, graduated in June, qualify as 5 months of being a full-time student? Hi Rick, Five months of high school would qualify the child as a full-time student, so as long as you provided more than half of their support, and the child is under 24, and no else is claiming them as a dependent, then they would qualify to be claimed as a dependent on your return. Thank you, Denise Elliott « Older Comments Newer Comments » Browse Related Articles Life Interest Rates, Inflation, and Your Taxes Investments Essential Tax Tips for Maximizing Investment Gains Uncategorized TurboTax is Partnering with Saweetie to Elevate Hoop Dr… Business Small Business Owners: Optimize Your Taxes with a Mid-Y… Small Business The Benefits of Employing Your Children and the Tax Bre… Income and Investments Are Olympics Winnings Taxed? Taxes 101 IRS Name Changes for Businesses in Just a Few Steps Student Athlete What are Alston Awards and the Tax Implications? Life Tax Audits Explained (Not As Scary As You Think) Income and Investments First Time Investors, Here’s What You Need To Know Ab…
My cousin recently received his family social security numbers, he want to file tax return for 2011 and they just arrived. Can he claim them as depenants if he lived here and they lived in Mexico? Can he go back three years? He would send them money but they did not have Social Security numbers.
Hi Lisa Based on all the information here I have told my sister that she can not count her daughter as a qualifying child or qualifying relative for 2011. Am I right? Her daughter lived at home all year and my sister paid more then half her support, her daughter was a full time student in Jan to May 2011 (5months) she was 23. In May 2011 she turned 24. She then got a job but made slightly more then $3,700.00.
Does my daughter who I claim as a depedant have to file a tax return she had 3600.00 in income and 2900.00 in interest. she is a student and is 20.
Hi Lisa, Our son is 23 and a full time student living at home with us. He earned $9600.00 that went into his saviings. We paid all his expenses which were at least $13,000.00. Can we claim him? I’m confused over what he earned versus the expenses we paid . Thank you for your help
Hi Jana, You may be able to claim them as long as: – They did not provide over half of their support own support – They lived with you more than half the year – You follow what is in the divorce decree regarding custody – They meet the age requirements for qualifying child (If not, they may be considered “qualifying relatives”) Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
Lisa, My 19 year old son graduated high school in 2011. He has not attended college so far this year. If he goes back to school in August and finishes the year, will I be able to claim him on my 2012 taxes? The fall term will probably begin mid-August, so he will be in college 4 1/2 months to the end of the year. He will live with me the whole year and I pay all expenses for the household. He works part time and should make over the allowable taxable income for 2012. Thank you.
I work partime25 hrs and claim for my partner who doesnt work can i take him off the claim as he doin bits of work that i dont know about? Please reply
My 41 yo stepdaughter lived with me the entire year and I provided total support. She is married but does not live with him and both had no income. They did not file a tax return. Can I claim her?
Hi Lisa my husband owes more than $2500 in back child support but pays his monthly dues,can he claim me and my 3yr old son? I havent work in almost 2 years.If so are they going to deduct it in that back child support?
Hi Lisa, My boyfriend was laid off in March of 2011, and has been collecting unemployment while desperately searching for a new job. I’ve been supporting both of us, and I’d like to claim him as a dependent, provided that he meets all of the qualifications above (he’s lived with me for the past 3 years, I’ve paid for most of his living expenses,bills, etc.). My question is, does unemployment count towards your gross earnings? I’d assume it does, but I just want to check-I definitely want to make sure I’m in compliance with the rules. Also, if it turns out that I can claim him, will he have to amend his already-submitted return? He filed before we found out I may be able to claim him-if it helps, he claimed 1 on his W2. Thanks!
My former stepson (stepson by my ex-wife) lived with me for all of 2011. He was a full-time student and is 23 years old. He pays nothing in rent/food/utilities, I pay all his living expenses. Can I claim him as a dependent even though he is technically no longer a relative? His mother passed away so no one else would be claiming him. Thank you!
Hi Lisa We have a daughter who is 22, that lived with us, or at college, and that we paid for more than half of her support in 2011. We have 19,000 of educational expenses for her. She was married December 30, 2011. Upon submitting our efile return it was rejected for 0509. I know she and her husband filed a joint return Was my understanding they were filing without claiming her as an exemption. She had no taxable/reportable income for 2011. Please advise.
My daughter has unemployment and part time earnings that total about $6200. Can she claim her 7 year old son who lives with her? I am her mother and I send money to her every month to help. No one else can claim her son.
Please help! This is my 3rd attempt with the same question and no response yet. Pleeeeeeaaaaassssseeeee! My daughter and grandson moved in with us last year. She turned 24 last May. She was in school full time for a portion of the year and had income of less than $3,700 for the year. We provided support in the form of food, shelter, clothing, medical, transportation, and child care expenses. My grandson did receive approximately $200 in child support from his father each month and, even though she did not meet the minimum income standards, my daughter did file her taxes claiming her son as her dependent in order to receive her refund. Do my husband and I have any options as far as claiming either of them in order to recoup some of our expenses? I have been told I can have my daughter amend her tax return and then we can claim her and our grandson on our taxes. Is this correct? What are my options? Thanks for your help!
My foster daughter lived with me from dec 31, 2010 to july 22, 2011. she is 14 can I claim her as a dependent?
My daughter is 22, made $9300 in 2011. In 2011 she was full-time college student for 6 months and a part-time college student for 6 months. She resides at her college. Can we claim her as a dependent?
please help!!!! i need to know what exactly AMT depreciation is and how to calculcate this. my refund went up quite a bit after inputing “0” where this applies. I dont want to have to repay or owe due to this mistake.
if i have nieces and nephews who i send money to help support them, but they are not in the United States, they live in Mexico can i add them as my dependent
Hi Ashley, You can claim them as “qualifying relatives” if: – You provide over half of their support – They each do not earn more than $3,700 Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
Hi Lisa, My father-in-law is retired and lived with us for the entire 2011 year. I am not sure how much he received in total for the year from his retirement account, Social Security, etc. Can we claim his as a dependent?
Hello BB, You can claim your father-in-law as a dependent if both of the following are true: 1. He is a US citizen, resident alien, national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico, and; 2. He did not provide more than half of his support and didn’t make more than $3,700. Hope this helps. Thanks, Denise Elliott
I have a son over the age limit for dependent but would be a qualifying relative. We share the same home, no income for 2011 and I have met all his expenses including $3600 health insurance. He is not a student. I file Turbo Tax. Do I just add his name and put qualifying relative instead of son? Also Can I deduct the cost of the insurance premiums, Thank you, Bette
Hi Betty, You can claim your son as a dependent and you would do that, as you’ve indicated, by indicating that he is a qualifying relative. For the insurance premiums, the amount paid would need to exceed 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income. Since you are using TurboTax, you can enter all of your eligible medical expenses and the program will determine whether or not you meet the threshold. Thank you, Denise Elliott
My husband did not live with me 1/1/11 – 7/31/11. He was on unemployment and living with a relative. He moved back in on 8/1/11 as he had no unemployment benefits after 7/31/11. I have supported our 4 kids all 2011 and him as of 8/1/11. How should I file and can I claim him?
Hello Tonya, From what you’ve mentioned, it sounds like you should choose the Married Filing Joint filing option with four dependents (your kids). Remember that you will need to include your husband’s unemployment on your return as income. Hope this helps! Thanks, Denise Elliott
Hello Sharif, You can claim your mother as a dependent if all of the following are true: 1. She is a US citizen, resident alien, national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico, and; 2. She lived with you for more than half a year, and; 3. She did not provide more than half of her support and didn’t make more than $3,700. Hope this helps. Thanks, Denise Elliott
My daughter and grandson moved in with us last year. She turned 24 last May. She was in school full time for a portion of the year and had income of less than $3,700 for the year. We provided support in the form of food, shelter, clothing, medical, transportation, and child care expenses. My grandson did receive approximately $200 in child support from his father each month and, even though she did not meet the minimum income standards, my daughter did file her taxes claiming her son as her dependent in order to receive her refund. Do my husband and I have any options as far as claiming either of them in order to recoup some of our expenses? I have been told I can have my daughter amend her tax return and then we can claim her and our grandson on our taxes. Is this correct? What are my options? Thanks for your help!
Hello Diane, If your daughter amends her tax return to not claim her son and to indicate that she can be/will be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return, then – once her return has been accepted by IRS – you will be able to claim both of them as dependents. Thank you, Denise Elliott
We are husband/wife and 2 kids ( 11 yrs / 2 yrs). During 2011, I put $1800 in my employer dependent care fsa and claimed it because my daughter was going to daycare/after-school when my wife went to my native country ( i.e outside of USA) for 5 months. I spent around $2100 on daycare. I have receipt of all daycare and my W2 has entry of $1800 in line 10. I am filling tax as married filling jointly. I was going thru different IRS publication but did not find good answer that whether or not I am eligible to take benefit of dependent care credit.
Hello Manu, Yes, you can claim the Dependent Care Credit. You will need to include the amount on Box 10 with the rest of your W-2 information then report the total amount of your dependent care expenses in the Deductions & Credits section of the product. To get there, from the Deductions & Credits table choose Child and Dependent care then answer the questions appropriately and TurboTax will do the rest. Thank you, Denise
Lisa, my daughter was 20 years old in 2011, is a full time student living in the dorms. Last year, she studied abroad through her school program for a semester (for 5 months). She made less that $3,700. We provide her health insurance, car insurance, gas, etc. She carries her own student loans. Can we still claim her as a dependent?
Hi Kara, Yes, you can claim her as a dependent. While she’s away at school, her permanent residence is still with you, and her student loans do not qualify as extra income. Thanks, Denise Elliott
Hi Lisa! My 80 year old mother resides with my husband and I. She receives $500 SSI monthly = $6000 yearly, this is her only source of income. My husband and I assist her with any other expenses not covered by her monthly SSI check. Will my husband and I be able to claim her as a dependent for 2011? Looking forward to your reply. Thank you. Sara
Hi Sara, Yes, you can claim your mother as a dependent. Her $6,000 Social Security income is not taxable, therefore she still makes less than the $3,700 limit, and meets all of the other requirements. Thank you, Denise Elliott
Hi Denise, In a similar situation, my mother makes $6000 in SSI but also makes $5000 from my late fathers pension. Is pension taxable? Thanks, Doug McDonald
My boyfriend is 18 and he goes to school full time. We live together and I support the household. i work and i go to college. could i claim him as a dependent. he doesnt work or anything.
Hi Rina, It would depend on several factors: 1. Since he’s not related, he would need to have lived with you for the entire year in 2011; 2. No one else – like his parents or guardian – can claim him for 2011; 3. You must have provided over 50% of his support in 2011; 4. He must not have income of any kind – including scholarships, trust funds, etc. – greater than $3,700 for 2011; 5. He must have a Social Security Number or ITIN. Thank you, Denise Elliott
I petitioned for my husband and daughter who are living outside the U.S. A month ago they got their visa interview and were approved. They came to the U.S. three weeks ago with Permanent Residence. They got their SSN last week. I want to know if I can claim them as dependents for 2011. Thank you.
Hi Lauren, If they were living in Mexico or Canada for all of 2011, and meet all of the other requirements to be claimed as dependents, then you can claim them as dependents on your return. If, however, they were residents of any country other than Mexico or Canada, then you’ll have to wait and claim them as dependents on your 2012 return. Thank you, Denise Elliott
Hi Frances, Yes, because work-study income is taxable income, it would be included. The $3,700 income limit refers to taxable income. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
Is the amount for dependency (the $3700 income limit) the same for 2012? And is the age still 24? The reality is that it is taking many kids longer than that to graduate from college so these rules are kind of archaic!
Hi Frances, The income limit increases slightly for 2012 to $3,800, but the age limit is still the same. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
My ex wife wants to claim out 18 year old son as a dependent on her 2011 taxes. He is a Full Time College Student and lives solely with me (for last two years when not away at school. She provided no support whatsoever. I pay for his college, health insurance, meal plan…everything. Her argument is that our divorce decree states she claims all children as dependents if I fall behind on child support (for other two children) and I have. I was awarded back child support for the time he lived with me over the last two years. She is asking for a 1098T from me because my son does not speak with her. Which one of us can claim him?
Hi, In general a qualifying child should be claimed by the parent who the child lives with the most more than half the year, however if your ex-wife has custody per the divorce decree and it says that she can claim him as a dependent the only way you could claim him is if she releases claim of exemption with Form 8332. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
My 19 year-old son earned no money in 2011, but got an insurance payment in early 2011. When he got that payout, he moved out and dropped out of high school. We paid for part of his living expenses during that time (i.e. food, gas for car, cell phone). He dropped out of high school for that semester. He then moved back home in June (after spending all the insurance proceeds) and we provided full support the rest of the year. He started back at high school in August and was a full-time student, finishing school in mid- December. He will officially graduate from high school in May 2012 because his school does not do mid-year graduations. His 19th birthday was 11/24/2011. Can I claim him for 2011?
I think I figured this out – I missed the 5-month part the first time. He was a full-time student for 5 months (January, September, October, November, December – he didn’t drop out until February, and he started back mid-August); we provided more than half of his support; he did live with us more than half the year; he earned no money himself; so I think the answer is yes, we can claim him even though he was not under 19 at the end of the year.
Hi, Yes, if he was a full-time student for at least five months, then you can claim him. Full-time college students have to be under 24. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
Our son was a full time student Jan-May 2011, then graduated. He is 22. We provided full support until June. He lives on his own now and made more than $3700 last year. Can we claim him as a dependant? He filed taxes already and claimed himself.
This is my 3rd attempt at asking my question, can I please have it posted/addressed? My husband and I have legal custody of my 14 year old cousin. Are we able to claim him as a qualifying child on our return? We were told that we couldn’t because we haven’t actually adopted him…how does this work?
Hi Sally, You can claim him as a “qualifying relative” if: 1. You supplied over half of his support 2. He did not earn over $3,700 3. He was a U.S. citizen or national, resident of Mexico or Canada 4. He cannot be claimed by anyone else. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
thank you, Lisa! My next question is when you say “qualifying relative” when we file can we classify him as “son” since we do have custody, provided all of his support, and he didn’t earn anywhere near the amount you listed. Also, nobody else should be able to claim him since he lived with us 7 out of 12 months. We were told we had to list him under “other” instead of son, therefore, he didn’t show as a qualifying child….
I have a 26 year old daughter who attended college while staying with me in my household for the entire year. I understand she does not fall under the “qualifying child” category but maybe under the “qualifying relative” one, but WHERE on TurboTax do I indicate/fill this out? I have changed the personal information twice and it keeps saying she does not qualify due to her age. Please help!
Hi Aida, Go back in the personal info section and click edit next to her name. Make sure you don’t miss answering any questions regarding claiming your daughter as a dependent. People often go through the interview quickly and miss places that should be checked off. Even if there are options that are “none of the above” that apply make sure you check it off. Pay special attention to the birthdate entered, the question about whether you supplied over half of your daughter’s support, and the amount of income she earned. If you still have difficulty, go to our free tax advice through the tax program so they can walk you through live. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
Hi Lisa, My son is a full time student, and turned 24 on August 15, 2011.I paid his living expenses and tuition (over the amount of his Stafford Loan) in 2011. He worked during the summer and earned $7,500. His earnings were while he was still 23. Is there any way I can claim him as a dependent, as he was 23 for the majority of 2011? Thanks!
Hi Pam, Unfortunately to claim him as a “qualifying child” he has to be under 24 in 2011. If he doesn’t meet age requirements you may have been able to claim him as a “qualifying relative”, however he earned too much in 2011. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
My daughter turned 21 in Dec. 2011. She is a fulltime student and works part time (not sure how much she earned this year). She does nto live at home, she has her own apartment. She gets the Post 911 GI Bill for BAH but it does not cover all of her living expenses, especially medical. If she earned less than $3700 can we claim her as a dependant? And if she has already filed her taxes this year is there a way for us to amend them?
Hi Lisa, If your daughter did not supply over half of her own support you can claim her as a “qualifying child”. If she already filed her taxes and claimed herself then you could amend her tax return if you wanted to claim her as a dependent. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
Hi Lisa Can my husband and I claim our children as dependants? Our son is 18, lives at home and is in a registered apprenticeship program. He works and receives payment for hours accumulated in this program. His income last year was 18,000. Our daughter lives at home 5 months of the year, is 22 and her income from summer employment was 4,000.00. she is in unversity. Thank you
Hi Sharon, Son – Your son can still be claimed as a “qualifying child” as long as he does not supply over half of his own support. He would be required to file his own tax return due to his income so he may want an exemption for himself, if that is the case you could not claim him. Daughter- Your daughter could be claimed as a “qualifying child” as long as she was a full-time student for five months and she didn’t supply more than half of her own support. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
Help ! So the question I have is this: My husband has 2 kids from his first marriage, Laurie, the eldest, turned 19 on March 19th of this year. She lives with her mom in NY but based on his divorce and what the decree stated, he has always claimed Laurie. Well Laurie now goes to college FT and also works FT, we’re pretty sure she made over $3,700.00 last year. Does that mean my husband can not claim her this year?
Can my husband and I claim any of the expenses (food, shelter, clothing, child care, education, etc.) for my 24-year-old daughter and our grandson who lived with us for more than 6 months of 2011. She did file a return claiming our grandson and the $2700 she had in income but claimed no other deductions.
My son and daughter in law live in my rental home. This past year they were unable to pay for rent because both were unemployed. They did not claim their two children on their Taxes this year. They were told that I may be able to claim the children. They are 7 and 5. Can I claim the children on mine even though they don’t live with me? If I count the rent that I have lost, I may qualify for paying over half of their support. Also, how do you determine how much support you have provided? I have been claiming the home as rental property, but not sure I can this year because of no income from it. Any info is appreciated.
My daughter is 22. She graduated from College in May 2011. In August, she started a job in a different state. So, she was my dependent for more than 1/2 of the year and a full-time student for at least 5 months. However, she made about $8k last year. Do I claim her as my dependent? TIA!
For 2011, our 22 year old daughter was a full time student (she graduated in May 2011) she got a job in her field and grossed $25,300.00 for the remainder of 2011; we previously paid for her tuition through College Illinois prior to 2011; we paid for all of her expenses for 2011 (room & board, books, food, car, insurance, etc. while in school) the only expense she pays now (since September 2011) is her car payment and gas. It’s our choice not to charge her for rent/food/insurance. Can we still claim her as a dependent for 2011 and if not can she file as a single and take the exemption? Sincerely, Shannon
Hi Shannon, If she did not provide over half of her own support, was under 24 and a full-time student for at least 5 months, she could still qualify as a “qualifying child”. Your daughter, however is required to file her own tax return due to her income. In that case, she would not be able to claim a deduction for herself if you claim her as a dependent so you will both have to decide who will take the exemption. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
Dear Lisa: Thank you for your quick response! I originally prepared a draft of her return (single with someone else claiming her) and our return where we had her listed as our dependent (because she met all of the qualifications) but I started to second guess myself because of her income. Sincerely, Shannon
Can I claim my 22 year old daughter as a dependent? She was a full time student in 2011 until she graduated on June 18, 2011. She was living away from home in order to attend school, but I was paying her tuition, food and rent. Since July 4, 2011 she has been living on her own. How can a student, going away to school, EVER meet the requirement of having the same residence as the parent for more than half of the year?
My mother passed away in 2010 and I was her power of attorney but forgot to claim her last year. Can I claim her this year since she is deceased and I had to much going on to claim her that year?
My daughter and son-in-law are full time students. They lived with us for 5 month in 2011 and we gave them an additional $4000 to assist them with the other 7 months. Each made under $3700 during the year. They have filed married filing jointly. They receive Pell Grants to help pay for their education. Can we claim them as dependents?
Son turned 24 yrs old on 2/11/12 and graduated May of 2011 from college but worked part time, making $5639. We paid for his living expeince but he paid for art supplies, with his income. How would we claim him?
My mother-in-law has lived with us for last 7 yrs. she recently retired and now only receives ss income of about 1300mth. we have never charged her anything since she’s had limited income, but obviously she uses our water, electricity, has her own cable box, mini fridge, and most importantly pays no rent for the roof over her head. although i advised her last year that we wanted to try to claim her as a dependent for 2011, she went ahead and filed her own return. she had no income and received no refund, but she was afraid not to file. she is also concerned that if we claim her, it could affect her soc sec. can i still claim her anyway?
My son is a full-time student, under 24, his primary residence is still with me, although he has an apartment all year long to go to school. During the school year his apartment is paid for from money we borrowed through his student loans, and during the summer he pays for the apartment with money that he has earned. How do the student loans work in considering if he is not paying for more than half of his own support or not. He also is working, and has made over 10,000. Can I still claim him?
Hi Maurice, Since he is a full-time student under 24, you should be able to claim him has a “qualifying child” so the income he made will not be a factor. As a “qualifying child”, as long as he does not supply over half of his own support, you will be able to claim him as a dependent. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
Hi Lisa My son is 19yrs old and lives at home he graduated from high school in June 2011.He worked from Oct-Dec 2011 and earned $4000 can we still claim?
Hi Gaby, In order to claim him as a “qualifying child”, he would have to be under 19 at the end of 2011 unless he was a full-time college student for at least five months. If not, unfortunately you cannot claim him as a “qualifying child”. You would not be able to claim him as a “qualifying relative” since his income is over $3,700. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
Why wouldn’t the time in High School, graduated in June, qualify as 5 months of being a full-time student?
Hi Rick, Five months of high school would qualify the child as a full-time student, so as long as you provided more than half of their support, and the child is under 24, and no else is claiming them as a dependent, then they would qualify to be claimed as a dependent on your return. Thank you, Denise Elliott