Deductions and Credits Who Counts as a Dependent for Taxes? 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 TurboTax Blog Team Published Jan 7, 2009 - [Updated Jan 6, 2021] 2 min read For updated information also see Who Can I Claim as My Dependent? Tax season is when we look at our family and friends in a different – and tax-deductible – light. Can you count your sister-in-law as a dependent? How about claiming your girlfriend and her unemployed brother? What about claiming your pet as a dependent? Believe it or not, the IRS code tells us that any of the above, except the retriever, could qualify as a dependent under the right circumstances. Why are dependents good to have at tax time? There are many tax benefits for having dependents. For each dependent you can legally claim, you get a $3,500 deduction on your 2008 taxes. So if you are in the 25 percent tax bracket and have three dependents, worth $10,500 in deductions, you could save $2,625 on your taxes. (However, for some higher-income earners, deductions are reduced.) In our society, where growing numbers of people live together who aren’t married or aren’t related, it’s good to know the rules. And if economic realities mean that you’ve had grown children move back home with you, or that you’ve extended financial help to a family member, you could get a tax break. The following guidelines only apply to adult dependents. (The IRS has all sorts of rules for dependent children, particularly those whose parents are divorced. For information, see IRS Publication 504: Divorced or Separated Individuals.) If you claim an adult as a dependent, that person must meet several IRS qualifications: Had less than $3,500 of gross income during 2008. Received more than half of his or her support from you for the year. Did not file a joint income tax return for 2008 with anyone else. Is a citizen or resident of the United States, or a resident of Canada or Mexico. Is a member of your household for the full year, or a relative who does or does not live with you. As you can see, this last requirement opens your door – and your tax return – to many potential dependents, as long as you’re willing to support them. So, to use our initial example, your live-in girlfriend and her brother who also lives with you could count as your dependents, if they meet qualifications. But what if you support someone who doesn’t live with you, such as your elderly mother? The IRS allows you to count as a dependent a whole list of relatives who don’t also have to occupy your home, as long as you provide more than half their annual support: Children, stepchildren, eligible foster child, grandchildren or great grandchildren Siblings, including half or step siblings Parents, grandparents, or any other direct ancestors Stepparents Aunts or uncles Nieces or nephews Fathers-in-law, mothers-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers-in-law, or sisters-in-law Unfortunately, your golden retriever is not among these. Nor is your gardener or house cleaner, even though it might seem you support them. They’re your employees, not your dependents. Previous Post A New Baby and Tax Breaks Next Post Can I Claim my Girlfriend as a Dependent? Written by Adam Middleton More from Adam Middleton 272 responses to “Who Counts as a Dependent for Taxes?” « Older Comments Newer Comments » My boyfriends childern from a previous relationship moved in with us in Janurary 2013. They are ages 4, 2, and 1. I have provided support and am listed in their insurance as an authorized representative for them. We are not married. Can I claim them on my 2013-2014 tax return? Reply My 31 yr old son lives with me can I claim him on my taxes. I support all his needs. He is a US citizen. Reply My son could not find a job and lived with me (his mom)for 8 months and my husband (his step-father). So we claimed him on our taxes 2012. Will this stop him from getting financial aide – he wants to go back to school? Reply In 2012, my son had a full time job until July and then started law school full time. His orientation period at school began on August 30, but classes did not start until September 4. In determining if he was a full-time student for at least 5 months for purposes of whether I can take him as a dependent and claim the $3,800 exemption, do the two orientation days in August count towards the 5 months? Reply I live with my boyfriend and we had a baby this year. Because I am “single” I qualified for pregnancy medicaid in NC, which does not include household income. Can he claim me and the baby as dependents even though we qualified for medicaid as “single”? Reply I have a 19 yo son who lives at home and is a full time college student and works part-time. I supply housing, food, clothing, car etc.. He helps to pay for his tuition. But he made $8000 last year. So I can’t deduct him as a dependent?. I also have a 24 yo at home who has high student loan payments and can’t afford to live on her own and made $16,000 last year. I supply food, and housing and I can’t deduct her either? Reply I live with my daughter (all year) and babysit my granddaughter. I have no income and I went to school part time. I am separated,not divorced yet. Can my daughter claim me. Reply My 20 year old son is homeless. He does not live with us. He is not in school. He does not have a job. We buy food, bus pass and sometimes pay for a room for him. Should we still claim him as a dependent? Reply Can my husband claim my 8 yr old sister as a dependent? We’re planning on filing jointly if that helps. Reply in 2010 My father had a heart attack and was unable to work i supported the household while he was incapable of working.he has been together with the same woman for over 10 years. she has 2 childeren who have been living with us and during the time my dad was out of work i supported them. there are no blood ties between me and the 2 boys and my parents cannot get married because my father is still married to my birth mother. i believe i can prove that i supported them through that year. the irs audited me for $7000 is there anyway to lessen or relieve my debt? Reply Hi, I’m assuming the IRS is limiting dependents claimed for 2010 correct? If so, you would have to prove that your claimed dependents meet the IRS test for dependents. – First they can not be claimed on any one else’s tax return. – You must have supplied over half of their support. – The claimed dependent could not make over $3,650 in 2010 – They must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico. You can also see http://blog-turbotax-intuit-com-prelaunch.go-vip.net/2011/11/07/who-can-i-claim-as-a-dependent/ for more info. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply i claimed 2 dependents, the boys were the only 2. no one else claimed them and meet all other requirements. their resoning was that there is no blood relation and my parents arent married. i dont understand why i was audited. is there any real explination why i was audited if i was the main supporter for the two boys? Me and my husband are supporting his mother,father,brother,and his 3 children that live in Mexico .His mom and dad are to old to work and to sick his brother works in the fields in Mexico and earns $15 a day not enough to feed all of them .Can we claim them on are taxes and if we can what do I need to do? Reply Wow, amazing weblog structure! How lengthy have you been running a blog for? you made running a blog look easy. The full glance of your website is great, let alone the content! Reply Hi, my brother-in-law is 23 years old and he is studying in college on F1. He works on-campus and makes around 200 per week. I am paying his college fees around 20k per year. Can I claim him as dependent? Thank you in advance for your valuable response. Reply Can my brother claim my daughters if he provided for them for more than half the year even if they lived with me? What doccuments will he need to provide as proof? Reply My 23 yr old daughter was diagnosed with brain cancer last April. She moved into my home in January because of the symptoms, but was afraid for the diagnosis until they got serious. Her last day of work was April 14. She had surgery, radiation, and eventually hospice care. She passed on Jan. 4, 2012. She lived with me the entire time where I took leave of absence and stayed home to care for her for most of the year. (full time since June). I did enroll her in Social Security Disability, where she recieved two checks in 2011 and one in 2012 for the December payment. My question is, can I claim her as a dependent? Her income for the year from her employment according to her W-2 was $2864.91 and then the two SSD checks of $1076. Also, will Turbo Tax recognize this situation or do I have to hire an accountant? Thanks! I should add that she was covered under my insurance, and her medical bills were paid by them. The co-pays (until we hit the max threshold) were paid by me and a donation account that had been set up for her by former co-workers. The rest of the donations were used to pay her car, credit card, cell phone and car insurance payments while she could not work. thx Reply My daughter is a full time student, she is a single mom. She is receiving child care assistant and financial aid for college. I am fully supporting her and my grandson. Also I contribute money for her education. Can I claim her as my dependent? Reply Hi Yolanda, If she is a full-time student and under 24 you may be able to claim her as a “qualifying child” as long as she doesn’t provide over half of her own support and she lives with you for more than half the year. If she is over 24 you may be able to claim her as a “qualifying relative” as long as she did not make over $3,700 taxable income in 2011. You may also be able to claim your grandson as a dependent as long as no one else claims him and you provided over half of his support and he did not earn more than $3,700 in taxable income. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply My brother has been living with me for about 2 years. He is on welfare and won’t let me claim him since he says he is homeless (living in his car). Can I claim him or will he be arrested as he is paranoid and believes this? Reply Hi Lynn, You can claim him if you provide over half of his support, he did not earn over $3,700 the entire year, he meets the citizenship rules, and no one else claims him. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply I have a brother who is 28y/o autistic, doesn’t speak, never had a job, staying in a group home, whom I am supporting every month for his medications and expenses back home (Philippines). He is not a resident of US or Canada. Can I file him as a dependent? how? Thank you so much. Reply Hi Ackie, Unfortunately you cannot claim your brother first unless he is a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply My husband and I are claiming 4 dependents from Mexico. One is his father and the other 3 are children of his cousin (so relatives.) When doing the tax calculator to try to estimate my refund. Do we receive the same credits as we would if they were U.S. citizens and living with us?? Please clarify. Thank you. Reply Hi Ashley, As long as you provide over half of the support of his father and he does not earn over $3,700, you would be able to receive a dependent deduction for him. The children of your cousin are not on the list of relatives that do not have to live with you. See IRS list http://www.irs.gov/publications/p501/ar02.html#en_US_2011_publink1000220957 Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply My 18 yro daughter is a full time college student, my wife and I pay all expences (tuition, books, dorm, meals, etc). She is on Medicaid due to unmarried pregnancy. Can I still claim her as a dependent on my taxes? Reply Hi Roger, Yes as long as she does not provide over half of her own support and meets the citizenship test. TurboTax will guide you through questions during the interview and allow you to claim the dependency deduction if you are eligible. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply Divorced since 1995. Reside in Ohio. Paid all my child support, dutifully, on time, etc. Daughter is now 19 (child support ceased when she turned 18 & graduated high school) and in college. I’ve converted child support to college support. That pays most of the daughter’s tuition (about $8400). Daughter lives with and is claimed on taxes by her mom. Any way for me to get some kind of tax write-off for the college support? Reply Hi George, Sorry. If her mom claimed her as a dependent, then she would get the deduction for college expenses. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply Lisa, Not what I’d like to hear but it won’t keep me from supporting my daughter in her endeavor to be the best she can be. Thanks for the information, George Lisa, What about claiming the college funding as a gift to the child? Any way to write that off? I’m also paying the tuition of my step son, who lives on his own and supports himself but we (wife and I) are essentially paying his tuition. Had to ask. Thanks, George Hello, I have a Big concern And Would appreciate all the help i can get. I am 18 and a resident of new york. In the year of 2011 I did not live with my mother and I was collecting foodstamps at a different household. However my mother still provided me with all the necessary living supplies. And I was not able to support myself. Would my Mom be able to claim me for the taxes of 2011? Reply Hi Darion, It sounds like you could not be claimed as a “qualifying child” since you did not live with your mom for more than half the year, but you could be claimed as a “qualifying relative” as long as your mom provided over half of your support and you did not earn over $3,700. You must also be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or resident alien. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply I was just using the turbotax refund calculator to estimate our refund this year. I do this every year and it is always very close to what we actually receive. But I am confused because the estimated refund is way under what we had expected. Will we still receive the 3500/per child as in years past or has something changed? Reply Hi Megan, Without seeing all of your details, there are many factors that could be impacting the estimate of your refund, but TurboTax will guide you through all of the tax deductions and credits you deserve. Yes, you will receive a personal exemption for each child of $3,700 each, as long as they meet the tests for “qualifying child”. I hope this helps you! Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply Cosmomakeup on August 30, 2011 i like my big wide smile! i definitely do not have siahtgrt white teeth but i do not let my teeth prevent me from smiling! in my opinion, smiles can bring people together and cheer up a stranger’s day, therefore i want to spread and share my happiness with others Reply I lived with my boyfriend all year, and have children from a previous marriage (with being legally my dependants) can we write the kids off and qualify for EIC? How do we label my kids? Reply Hi Jessica, Yes, you can claim EIC if the following tests are met: – You must have a valid Social Security Number – You must have earned income from employment or self-employment – Filing status cannot be married, filing seperate. – You must be a U.S. Citizen or resident alien all year, or non-resident alien married to a U.S. citizen or resident filing jointly. – You cannot be the qualifying child of someone else – Your AGI must be less than: 43,998 with 3 or more children 40,964 with 2 children 36,052 with 1 child 13,660 with none – “Qualifying Child” must meet the relationship, age, and residency test. Also make sure your children are not claimed by anyone else. You can also try TurboTax TaxCaster or TurboTax software to run through scenarios. Here are the links http://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/ or http://turbotax.intuit.com/ Thank you! Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply My husband and I were granted guardianship of our 12 year old nephew after he got into some legal trouble we took him home from the courthouse May 11,2011 and he is still living with us can we claim him on our taxes as a dependent? What would happen to us if his father also claimed him on his taxes? Reply Hi Liz, Either his father or you have to claim him. Not both. The IRS will not allow the same dependent to be claimed on two different tax returns. If his father does not claim him, you would be able to claim him as a “qualifying relative” if you provided over half of his support for the year and he did not make over $3,700 gross income. Hope that helps you! Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply I HAVE A FRIEND LIVES WITH ME AND IS COLLEGE STUDENT AND I SUPPORT HIM FOR LAST 4 YRS CAN I CLAIM HIM ON MY TAXES Reply HAVE A FRIEND LIVES WITH ME AND IS COLLEGE STUDENT AND I SUPPORT HIM FOR LAST 4 YRS CAN I CLAIM HIM ON MY TAXES Reply Hi Mary, You can claim him as long as he meets the following test: -He is a U.S. Citizen, national, resident alien, or a resident of Mexico or Canada -You provide over half of his support -He did not earn over $3,700 in 2011 Thank you! Lisa Greene-Lewis ty so much for the answer My girlfriend, who is 21, has been living with me since May and I have been taking care of her financially the entire time. During the holiday season she got a job but worked no more than 80 hours total. Can I claim her as a dependent on my taxes this year? Reply Hi Shannon, Unfortunately, in order to claim your girlfriend, she must live with you the entire year. The good news is you will be able to claim her when you file your 2012 taxes if she lives with you all of 2012 and you provide over half of her support. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis CPA Reply Can I claim my mother who works but made less than 3500.00 and lives with me? Also would she be able to file taxes for that amount even though I’m able to claim her? Reply Hi Henry, It looks like your mother meets the relationship test and the gross income test. She would just have to meet the support test and and she could not file a joint return with someone else(unless solely to claim a refund). To meet the support test you would have to provide more than half of the total support for the year. Your mother must also be a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national or resident of Canada or Mexico for part of the year. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply Hi Henry, You may be able to claim your mother if she meets the following test: -Makes under $3,700 -You provide over half of her support -She is a U.S. citizen, national, resident alien, resident of Mexico or Canada. She can still file taxes for that amount, but she would not be able to take a personal exemption if you claim her. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply i am deployed in affganastan right now and have saported my wife and son this whole year and a few days ago she asked for a devorse do i still get to claim them or dose she get too choise who does and she is unemployed if that matters Reply Hi Clark, If you paid over half of their support in 2011 you would be able to claim them for 2011. I hope this helps! Thank you, Lisa Reply My brother has been out of work for a couple of years. He no longer gets unemployment and I have been supporting him for over a year. He lives in Florida and now moved to Maryland which I also payed for the moving.I live in NY can I still claim him as a dependent on my tax return? Can I also claim the cost of the gas for the mileage he put on the moving truck? Reply Hi Joseph, Yes you can claim your brother as a dependent “qualifying relative” as long as the following test are met: -Your brother is a U.S. Citizen, National, resident alien, or resident of Mexico or Canada -You provided over half of his support -He did not earn more than $3,700 in 2011 You cannot, however claim the cost of moving. Moving expenses are only deductible if they are related to your move due to a change of job. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply Super-Duper innertet site! I’m enjoying it!! Will certainly come back yet again, Thank you. Reply Hi Shereen, We’re glad you enjoy it. Check back again for more up to date topics. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis i have legal guardianship of 4 children. can i file them on my taxes? Reply Hi Carolyn, If you have legal guardianship of the 4 children and they meet the residency and support tests you can claim them on your taxes. The children must have lived with you more than half the year and the children could not have provided more than half of their own support for the year. In addition, they cannot be claimed by anyone else. I hope this helps you! Thank you! Lisa Lewis Reply I have a 19 year old daughter who got married in June or July of this year but lived with me until August. She does not work or make an income and I supported her until she moved out in August. Can I still claim her on my taxes or now that she’s married does her spouse claim her? Reply Hi Kim, If your daughter was a full-time student you would be able to claim her as a “qualifying child” as long as she did not supply over half of her own support. If she is 19 and not a full-time student, she may be claimed as your “qualifying relative” as long as you supplied more than half of her support, she did not make over $3,700, she was a U.S. citizen, national, resident alien, resident of Mexico or Canada. Since she is married, if she and her husband decide to file married filing jointly, you would not be able to claim her as a dependent, unless your daughter and spouse’s tax return was filed to claim a refund and if either spouse filed a separate return there would be no tax liability. Spouses cannot be claimed as dependents. They can only be claimed as an exemption. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply I was wondering if i can claim my 9 yr old bother in law as a dependent. Me and my husband have been supporting him since he was 5yrs old. The only problem is that he dosen’t have a SSN so i don’t know if its allowed? Reply Hi Smiley, Usually you would be able to claim him has a “qualifying relative” if he met the gross income, support, and member of the household test, however you must have a social security number to claim him. If the dependent is a resident alien or nonresident alien who does not have and is not eligible to get a SSN, they must apply for individual taxpayer identification number. Thank you! Lisa Lewis Reply My boyfriend has been suporting my son for almost two years, can he legally claim him on his taxes Reply Hi Tif, You boyfriend may be able to claim your son on his taxes as long as you are not required to file a tax return and no one else claimed him. In addition, your son can be considered a “Qualifying Relative”, however he must have lived with your boyfriend the entire year and he could not have earned income over $3,700 for TY2011. I hope this helps! Thank you, Lisa Lewis Reply I have been in divorce proceedings all year. I pay the mortgage of the marrital home which my wife and daughter live in. I also give my wife $1,500 a month living expenses, she does not work. My 16 yr old son and I have been living seperatly since March. Can I file head of household and claim both my daughter and my son? Reply Hi Mike, You can claim Head of Household if on the last day of the year you are unmarried or considered unmarried as follows: -You file a seperate return -You paid more than half the cost of keeping up your home for the tax year. -Your spouse did not live in your home during the last 6 months of the tax year. -Your home was the main home of your child, stepchild, or foster child for more than half the year. -You must be able to claim an exemption for the child. You can also claim an exemption for your children as long as your wife doesn’t claim them. If the 1,500 per month is alimony payments she will be required to file a tax return for that money and you can deduct it. Thank you, Lisa Lewis Reply I have been paying rent and utilities for my 21 year old daughter and my 3 year old grandson since July 2010. She had a job for only a couple of weeks so far this year. She receives food stamps to pay for their food, but I pay for pretty much everything else. Can I claim her and my grandson on my 2011 taxes even though they live in a separate household? Thank you for your help. Best regards, Mary Reply Hi Mary, As long as your daughter did not make over $3,700 and you provided over half of her support and your grandson. Also make sure she is not required to file a tax return, does not file and claim herself or your grandson, and no one else claims them. Thank you! Lisa Lewis Reply CAN I CLAIM OUR 23 YEAR OLD SON WHO HAS LIVED WITH US ALL YEAR. WE HAVE PROVIDED SUPPORT THE WHOLE YEAR. MY QUESTION IS HE OWES CHILD SUPPORT, WILL THEY TRY TO TAKE THIS FROM US IF WE CLAIM HIM ON OUR TAXES? Reply Hi Gabby, You can only claim you son as a “qualifying child” if he is 23 and was a full-time student for at least 5 months. You can claim him as a “qualifying relative” if he has not earned more than $3,650 for TY 2010 and $3,700 for TY 2011. The child support would be offset through the Treasury Offset Program if your son received a refund. Thank you, Lisa Lewis Reply I am wondering if I can claim my husband as a dependant for yr 2011. He only had a small amount of unemployment as income for the yr. However, he did not elect to have taxes taken out on that amount. So would I be required to pay that in for him if I do claim him? If I do not claim him is he required to file for those monies and claim? Reply Hi Shasta, Unfortunately, you cannot claim a spouse as a dependent. If you file married filed jointly, you will get a personal exemption of $3,650 for TY 2010 and $3,700 for TY 2011. Yes, he is required to claim unemployment income whether you file married filing jointly or married filing separately. I hope this helps you! Thank you, Lisa Lewis Reply Lisa some claim me 2009 don’t kwn who they are please help me. Reply Hi Shanita, If you suspect any fraud related to use of your social security number please click on this link http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq/0,,id=199590,00.html and follow these instructions. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis I have a question. My son is living with me. He is 26. He works and I’m sure he has made more than 3,600.00. Can I claim him on my income taxes? I support him mostly. He does pay child support for 5 children. He just make a little more than minimum wage. Thank you for your time. Reply Hi Marie, Sorry, if he made more than $3,650.00 for TY 2010 and $3,700 for TY 2011 you are not allowed to claim him as a dependent. Thank you, Lisa Lewis Reply Hi , My Boyfriend supports my son and I to the fullest. We live with his mother but we pay rent and some utilities, buy our clothes, food and whatever necessary.She is trying to claim me and my child on her taxes, Is this illegal? My sons father has a nice job and should be claiming our son and myself. What should I do? Reply Hi Lindsey, First, let me apologize. I responded to your comment on 9/1, however my September responses have to be done again due to enhancements being made to the blog. No, your boyfriend’s mother would not be able to claim you and your son. The only way she would be able to claim you is if she provided over half of your support and it does not appear that she is doing that. Your boyfriend can claim your son and he can claim you as long no one else claims you on their taxes, you are not required to file a tax return and you meet the following test: 1. Your relationship must be legal. You or your boyfriend cannot be legally married to someone else. 2. You must be a member of his household the entire year. 3. You must meet the gross income test making less than $3700 in gross income for TY 2011 and $3650 in gross income for TY2010. 4. Your boyfriend must have provided over half of your support for that year. Support is classified as amounts spent for food, lodging, clothing, education, medical and dental expenses, recreation, transportation, and necessities. 5. You must be a U.S. citizen or resident alien of the U.S. I hope this helps you! Lisa Lewis Reply i own this house. my parent and my wife parent live on same house but we dont live in that property.but they are getting social security and my mother and father law are getting social security income and foods stump and health benefit from the government and they are not paying the house we are letting them staying for free and also i am paying for the utillities. do i get tax credit or tax deductible if so how much will i get.thank for reading. Reply Hi Pete, First, I apologize. I responded to your comment the beginning of September, but some of the responses were lost during our enhancements to the blog so I am sending responses again. Unfortunately, you can only write your parents and in-laws off as dependents if you provided over half of the support for them. Because they receive social security, food stamps, and health benefits that most likely covers over half of their support. Thank you, Lisa Lewis Reply I have guardianship of a child how do I file them on my taxes.. She is my cousin I just don’t know how this works I do have legal guardianship of her. Reply Hi Sam, If you have guardianship of the child you can claim them as a dependent as long as you meet the following test: – Dependent Taxpayer Test – You or the child cannot be claimed as a dependent of another. – Joint Return Test – Your dependent cannot file a joint return with another person. – Citizen or Resident Test – Person must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national or resident of Canada or Mexico. The child would be considered your “Qualifying Relative”. If the child was your adopted child they would be considered as your “Qualifying Child” There are additional test that must be met for a “Qualifying Child” as follows: – The child cannot be your “Qualifying Child” or “Qualifying Child” of another taxpayer. – The child must be related to you. – The child’s gross income must be less than $3700 for TY2011 and $3650 for TY2010 – You must provide more than half of the support. For more information see IRS Pub 17 http://www.irs.gov/publications/p501/ar02.html#en_US_2010_publink1000220939 Also, when preparing your taxes using TurboTax, you will be guided on how to file http://www.turbotax.com/lp/ty10/ppc/hp.jsp?priorityCode=4515700000&ven=gg&cid=ppc_gg_b_stan_us+ca_btt+nm+ca&adid=8672506428&skw=TurboTax& kw=Turbotax I hope this helps you! Thank you, Lisa Lewis Reply Hi Betty Werts, Your grandchild can only be claimed by one person or on one tax return. Here is another article that might help: http://blog-turbotax-intuit-com-prelaunch.go-vip.net/tax-tips/who-can-i-claim-as-a-dependent-for-this-tax-year/03292011-5110 Hope this helps, Ashley Reply my 9 year old granddaughter lives with us during the week she stays with her mother on the weekends. this is my son’s daughter he was never married and there was never a DNA proving the father of the baby, we claim her as our granddaughter. Her mother claims her on her income tax my question is can I as the grandparent also claim her on my income tax thank you, any help would be appreicated Reply Im 36yrs living with my relative my sister. can she claim me as a dependent if im collecting unemployment benifits. Reply i am 23 and only worked 1 1/2 weeks in december last year. i have a 2 yr old daughter who lives with me. we both were recieving foodstamps in KY last year. now we live with my parents and sister in NY. can my sister claim me or my daughter in her taxes? and do i still need to file taxes for just working those 1 1/2 weeks? I was also married last year till august. but then got an annulment. should i file taxes with my ex husband, even though we are back to our single status’? please help 🙂 Reply I support my girlfriends 2 year old uncle’s son. He lives with us and I support him. His parents offer no support for this child. Reply i live with my boyfriend and not working just had a baby with him. my other son lives with us too hes 18. can he claim all 3 of us as dependents? Reply My wife and I have supported our son and 3 grandchildren for the last year. Son had no income but he and our grandson lived separate from us which we paid for all expenses. 2 granddaughters live with us fulltime. He is divorced and is custodial parent and is owed back child support. Do we file and claim all 4 of them as dependents? How does he file to receive the back child support owed? Reply My 21 year old son attended college last year and moved home after the Christmas break. As I funded his education and dorm expenses, can I claim him as a dependent? 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My boyfriends childern from a previous relationship moved in with us in Janurary 2013. They are ages 4, 2, and 1. I have provided support and am listed in their insurance as an authorized representative for them. We are not married. Can I claim them on my 2013-2014 tax return? Reply
My 31 yr old son lives with me can I claim him on my taxes. I support all his needs. He is a US citizen. Reply
My son could not find a job and lived with me (his mom)for 8 months and my husband (his step-father). So we claimed him on our taxes 2012. Will this stop him from getting financial aide – he wants to go back to school? Reply
In 2012, my son had a full time job until July and then started law school full time. His orientation period at school began on August 30, but classes did not start until September 4. In determining if he was a full-time student for at least 5 months for purposes of whether I can take him as a dependent and claim the $3,800 exemption, do the two orientation days in August count towards the 5 months? Reply
I live with my boyfriend and we had a baby this year. Because I am “single” I qualified for pregnancy medicaid in NC, which does not include household income. Can he claim me and the baby as dependents even though we qualified for medicaid as “single”? Reply
I have a 19 yo son who lives at home and is a full time college student and works part-time. I supply housing, food, clothing, car etc.. He helps to pay for his tuition. But he made $8000 last year. So I can’t deduct him as a dependent?. I also have a 24 yo at home who has high student loan payments and can’t afford to live on her own and made $16,000 last year. I supply food, and housing and I can’t deduct her either? Reply
I live with my daughter (all year) and babysit my granddaughter. I have no income and I went to school part time. I am separated,not divorced yet. Can my daughter claim me. Reply
My 20 year old son is homeless. He does not live with us. He is not in school. He does not have a job. We buy food, bus pass and sometimes pay for a room for him. Should we still claim him as a dependent? Reply
Can my husband claim my 8 yr old sister as a dependent? We’re planning on filing jointly if that helps. Reply
in 2010 My father had a heart attack and was unable to work i supported the household while he was incapable of working.he has been together with the same woman for over 10 years. she has 2 childeren who have been living with us and during the time my dad was out of work i supported them. there are no blood ties between me and the 2 boys and my parents cannot get married because my father is still married to my birth mother. i believe i can prove that i supported them through that year. the irs audited me for $7000 is there anyway to lessen or relieve my debt? Reply
Hi, I’m assuming the IRS is limiting dependents claimed for 2010 correct? If so, you would have to prove that your claimed dependents meet the IRS test for dependents. – First they can not be claimed on any one else’s tax return. – You must have supplied over half of their support. – The claimed dependent could not make over $3,650 in 2010 – They must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico. You can also see http://blog-turbotax-intuit-com-prelaunch.go-vip.net/2011/11/07/who-can-i-claim-as-a-dependent/ for more info. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
i claimed 2 dependents, the boys were the only 2. no one else claimed them and meet all other requirements. their resoning was that there is no blood relation and my parents arent married. i dont understand why i was audited. is there any real explination why i was audited if i was the main supporter for the two boys?
Me and my husband are supporting his mother,father,brother,and his 3 children that live in Mexico .His mom and dad are to old to work and to sick his brother works in the fields in Mexico and earns $15 a day not enough to feed all of them .Can we claim them on are taxes and if we can what do I need to do? Reply
Wow, amazing weblog structure! How lengthy have you been running a blog for? you made running a blog look easy. The full glance of your website is great, let alone the content! Reply
Hi, my brother-in-law is 23 years old and he is studying in college on F1. He works on-campus and makes around 200 per week. I am paying his college fees around 20k per year. Can I claim him as dependent? Thank you in advance for your valuable response. Reply
Can my brother claim my daughters if he provided for them for more than half the year even if they lived with me? What doccuments will he need to provide as proof? Reply
My 23 yr old daughter was diagnosed with brain cancer last April. She moved into my home in January because of the symptoms, but was afraid for the diagnosis until they got serious. Her last day of work was April 14. She had surgery, radiation, and eventually hospice care. She passed on Jan. 4, 2012. She lived with me the entire time where I took leave of absence and stayed home to care for her for most of the year. (full time since June). I did enroll her in Social Security Disability, where she recieved two checks in 2011 and one in 2012 for the December payment. My question is, can I claim her as a dependent? Her income for the year from her employment according to her W-2 was $2864.91 and then the two SSD checks of $1076. Also, will Turbo Tax recognize this situation or do I have to hire an accountant? Thanks! I should add that she was covered under my insurance, and her medical bills were paid by them. The co-pays (until we hit the max threshold) were paid by me and a donation account that had been set up for her by former co-workers. The rest of the donations were used to pay her car, credit card, cell phone and car insurance payments while she could not work. thx Reply
My daughter is a full time student, she is a single mom. She is receiving child care assistant and financial aid for college. I am fully supporting her and my grandson. Also I contribute money for her education. Can I claim her as my dependent? Reply
Hi Yolanda, If she is a full-time student and under 24 you may be able to claim her as a “qualifying child” as long as she doesn’t provide over half of her own support and she lives with you for more than half the year. If she is over 24 you may be able to claim her as a “qualifying relative” as long as she did not make over $3,700 taxable income in 2011. You may also be able to claim your grandson as a dependent as long as no one else claims him and you provided over half of his support and he did not earn more than $3,700 in taxable income. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
My brother has been living with me for about 2 years. He is on welfare and won’t let me claim him since he says he is homeless (living in his car). Can I claim him or will he be arrested as he is paranoid and believes this? Reply
Hi Lynn, You can claim him if you provide over half of his support, he did not earn over $3,700 the entire year, he meets the citizenship rules, and no one else claims him. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
I have a brother who is 28y/o autistic, doesn’t speak, never had a job, staying in a group home, whom I am supporting every month for his medications and expenses back home (Philippines). He is not a resident of US or Canada. Can I file him as a dependent? how? Thank you so much. Reply
Hi Ackie, Unfortunately you cannot claim your brother first unless he is a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
My husband and I are claiming 4 dependents from Mexico. One is his father and the other 3 are children of his cousin (so relatives.) When doing the tax calculator to try to estimate my refund. Do we receive the same credits as we would if they were U.S. citizens and living with us?? Please clarify. Thank you. Reply
Hi Ashley, As long as you provide over half of the support of his father and he does not earn over $3,700, you would be able to receive a dependent deduction for him. The children of your cousin are not on the list of relatives that do not have to live with you. See IRS list http://www.irs.gov/publications/p501/ar02.html#en_US_2011_publink1000220957 Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
My 18 yro daughter is a full time college student, my wife and I pay all expences (tuition, books, dorm, meals, etc). She is on Medicaid due to unmarried pregnancy. Can I still claim her as a dependent on my taxes? Reply
Hi Roger, Yes as long as she does not provide over half of her own support and meets the citizenship test. TurboTax will guide you through questions during the interview and allow you to claim the dependency deduction if you are eligible. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
Divorced since 1995. Reside in Ohio. Paid all my child support, dutifully, on time, etc. Daughter is now 19 (child support ceased when she turned 18 & graduated high school) and in college. I’ve converted child support to college support. That pays most of the daughter’s tuition (about $8400). Daughter lives with and is claimed on taxes by her mom. Any way for me to get some kind of tax write-off for the college support? Reply
Hi George, Sorry. If her mom claimed her as a dependent, then she would get the deduction for college expenses. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
Lisa, Not what I’d like to hear but it won’t keep me from supporting my daughter in her endeavor to be the best she can be. Thanks for the information, George
Lisa, What about claiming the college funding as a gift to the child? Any way to write that off? I’m also paying the tuition of my step son, who lives on his own and supports himself but we (wife and I) are essentially paying his tuition. Had to ask. Thanks, George
Hello, I have a Big concern And Would appreciate all the help i can get. I am 18 and a resident of new york. In the year of 2011 I did not live with my mother and I was collecting foodstamps at a different household. However my mother still provided me with all the necessary living supplies. And I was not able to support myself. Would my Mom be able to claim me for the taxes of 2011? Reply
Hi Darion, It sounds like you could not be claimed as a “qualifying child” since you did not live with your mom for more than half the year, but you could be claimed as a “qualifying relative” as long as your mom provided over half of your support and you did not earn over $3,700. You must also be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or resident alien. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
I was just using the turbotax refund calculator to estimate our refund this year. I do this every year and it is always very close to what we actually receive. But I am confused because the estimated refund is way under what we had expected. Will we still receive the 3500/per child as in years past or has something changed? Reply
Hi Megan, Without seeing all of your details, there are many factors that could be impacting the estimate of your refund, but TurboTax will guide you through all of the tax deductions and credits you deserve. Yes, you will receive a personal exemption for each child of $3,700 each, as long as they meet the tests for “qualifying child”. I hope this helps you! Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
Cosmomakeup on August 30, 2011 i like my big wide smile! i definitely do not have siahtgrt white teeth but i do not let my teeth prevent me from smiling! in my opinion, smiles can bring people together and cheer up a stranger’s day, therefore i want to spread and share my happiness with others Reply
I lived with my boyfriend all year, and have children from a previous marriage (with being legally my dependants) can we write the kids off and qualify for EIC? How do we label my kids? Reply
Hi Jessica, Yes, you can claim EIC if the following tests are met: – You must have a valid Social Security Number – You must have earned income from employment or self-employment – Filing status cannot be married, filing seperate. – You must be a U.S. Citizen or resident alien all year, or non-resident alien married to a U.S. citizen or resident filing jointly. – You cannot be the qualifying child of someone else – Your AGI must be less than: 43,998 with 3 or more children 40,964 with 2 children 36,052 with 1 child 13,660 with none – “Qualifying Child” must meet the relationship, age, and residency test. Also make sure your children are not claimed by anyone else. You can also try TurboTax TaxCaster or TurboTax software to run through scenarios. Here are the links http://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/ or http://turbotax.intuit.com/ Thank you! Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
My husband and I were granted guardianship of our 12 year old nephew after he got into some legal trouble we took him home from the courthouse May 11,2011 and he is still living with us can we claim him on our taxes as a dependent? What would happen to us if his father also claimed him on his taxes? Reply
Hi Liz, Either his father or you have to claim him. Not both. The IRS will not allow the same dependent to be claimed on two different tax returns. If his father does not claim him, you would be able to claim him as a “qualifying relative” if you provided over half of his support for the year and he did not make over $3,700 gross income. Hope that helps you! Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
I HAVE A FRIEND LIVES WITH ME AND IS COLLEGE STUDENT AND I SUPPORT HIM FOR LAST 4 YRS CAN I CLAIM HIM ON MY TAXES Reply
HAVE A FRIEND LIVES WITH ME AND IS COLLEGE STUDENT AND I SUPPORT HIM FOR LAST 4 YRS CAN I CLAIM HIM ON MY TAXES Reply
Hi Mary, You can claim him as long as he meets the following test: -He is a U.S. Citizen, national, resident alien, or a resident of Mexico or Canada -You provide over half of his support -He did not earn over $3,700 in 2011 Thank you! Lisa Greene-Lewis
My girlfriend, who is 21, has been living with me since May and I have been taking care of her financially the entire time. During the holiday season she got a job but worked no more than 80 hours total. Can I claim her as a dependent on my taxes this year? Reply
Hi Shannon, Unfortunately, in order to claim your girlfriend, she must live with you the entire year. The good news is you will be able to claim her when you file your 2012 taxes if she lives with you all of 2012 and you provide over half of her support. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis CPA Reply
Can I claim my mother who works but made less than 3500.00 and lives with me? Also would she be able to file taxes for that amount even though I’m able to claim her? Reply
Hi Henry, It looks like your mother meets the relationship test and the gross income test. She would just have to meet the support test and and she could not file a joint return with someone else(unless solely to claim a refund). To meet the support test you would have to provide more than half of the total support for the year. Your mother must also be a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national or resident of Canada or Mexico for part of the year. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
Hi Henry, You may be able to claim your mother if she meets the following test: -Makes under $3,700 -You provide over half of her support -She is a U.S. citizen, national, resident alien, resident of Mexico or Canada. She can still file taxes for that amount, but she would not be able to take a personal exemption if you claim her. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
i am deployed in affganastan right now and have saported my wife and son this whole year and a few days ago she asked for a devorse do i still get to claim them or dose she get too choise who does and she is unemployed if that matters Reply
Hi Clark, If you paid over half of their support in 2011 you would be able to claim them for 2011. I hope this helps! Thank you, Lisa Reply
My brother has been out of work for a couple of years. He no longer gets unemployment and I have been supporting him for over a year. He lives in Florida and now moved to Maryland which I also payed for the moving.I live in NY can I still claim him as a dependent on my tax return? Can I also claim the cost of the gas for the mileage he put on the moving truck? Reply
Hi Joseph, Yes you can claim your brother as a dependent “qualifying relative” as long as the following test are met: -Your brother is a U.S. Citizen, National, resident alien, or resident of Mexico or Canada -You provided over half of his support -He did not earn more than $3,700 in 2011 You cannot, however claim the cost of moving. Moving expenses are only deductible if they are related to your move due to a change of job. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
Hi Shereen, We’re glad you enjoy it. Check back again for more up to date topics. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
Hi Carolyn, If you have legal guardianship of the 4 children and they meet the residency and support tests you can claim them on your taxes. The children must have lived with you more than half the year and the children could not have provided more than half of their own support for the year. In addition, they cannot be claimed by anyone else. I hope this helps you! Thank you! Lisa Lewis Reply
I have a 19 year old daughter who got married in June or July of this year but lived with me until August. She does not work or make an income and I supported her until she moved out in August. Can I still claim her on my taxes or now that she’s married does her spouse claim her? Reply
Hi Kim, If your daughter was a full-time student you would be able to claim her as a “qualifying child” as long as she did not supply over half of her own support. If she is 19 and not a full-time student, she may be claimed as your “qualifying relative” as long as you supplied more than half of her support, she did not make over $3,700, she was a U.S. citizen, national, resident alien, resident of Mexico or Canada. Since she is married, if she and her husband decide to file married filing jointly, you would not be able to claim her as a dependent, unless your daughter and spouse’s tax return was filed to claim a refund and if either spouse filed a separate return there would be no tax liability. Spouses cannot be claimed as dependents. They can only be claimed as an exemption. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
I was wondering if i can claim my 9 yr old bother in law as a dependent. Me and my husband have been supporting him since he was 5yrs old. The only problem is that he dosen’t have a SSN so i don’t know if its allowed? Reply
Hi Smiley, Usually you would be able to claim him has a “qualifying relative” if he met the gross income, support, and member of the household test, however you must have a social security number to claim him. If the dependent is a resident alien or nonresident alien who does not have and is not eligible to get a SSN, they must apply for individual taxpayer identification number. Thank you! Lisa Lewis Reply
My boyfriend has been suporting my son for almost two years, can he legally claim him on his taxes Reply
Hi Tif, You boyfriend may be able to claim your son on his taxes as long as you are not required to file a tax return and no one else claimed him. In addition, your son can be considered a “Qualifying Relative”, however he must have lived with your boyfriend the entire year and he could not have earned income over $3,700 for TY2011. I hope this helps! Thank you, Lisa Lewis Reply
I have been in divorce proceedings all year. I pay the mortgage of the marrital home which my wife and daughter live in. I also give my wife $1,500 a month living expenses, she does not work. My 16 yr old son and I have been living seperatly since March. Can I file head of household and claim both my daughter and my son? Reply
Hi Mike, You can claim Head of Household if on the last day of the year you are unmarried or considered unmarried as follows: -You file a seperate return -You paid more than half the cost of keeping up your home for the tax year. -Your spouse did not live in your home during the last 6 months of the tax year. -Your home was the main home of your child, stepchild, or foster child for more than half the year. -You must be able to claim an exemption for the child. You can also claim an exemption for your children as long as your wife doesn’t claim them. If the 1,500 per month is alimony payments she will be required to file a tax return for that money and you can deduct it. Thank you, Lisa Lewis Reply
I have been paying rent and utilities for my 21 year old daughter and my 3 year old grandson since July 2010. She had a job for only a couple of weeks so far this year. She receives food stamps to pay for their food, but I pay for pretty much everything else. Can I claim her and my grandson on my 2011 taxes even though they live in a separate household? Thank you for your help. Best regards, Mary Reply
Hi Mary, As long as your daughter did not make over $3,700 and you provided over half of her support and your grandson. Also make sure she is not required to file a tax return, does not file and claim herself or your grandson, and no one else claims them. Thank you! Lisa Lewis Reply
CAN I CLAIM OUR 23 YEAR OLD SON WHO HAS LIVED WITH US ALL YEAR. WE HAVE PROVIDED SUPPORT THE WHOLE YEAR. MY QUESTION IS HE OWES CHILD SUPPORT, WILL THEY TRY TO TAKE THIS FROM US IF WE CLAIM HIM ON OUR TAXES? Reply
Hi Gabby, You can only claim you son as a “qualifying child” if he is 23 and was a full-time student for at least 5 months. You can claim him as a “qualifying relative” if he has not earned more than $3,650 for TY 2010 and $3,700 for TY 2011. The child support would be offset through the Treasury Offset Program if your son received a refund. Thank you, Lisa Lewis Reply
I am wondering if I can claim my husband as a dependant for yr 2011. He only had a small amount of unemployment as income for the yr. However, he did not elect to have taxes taken out on that amount. So would I be required to pay that in for him if I do claim him? If I do not claim him is he required to file for those monies and claim? Reply
Hi Shasta, Unfortunately, you cannot claim a spouse as a dependent. If you file married filed jointly, you will get a personal exemption of $3,650 for TY 2010 and $3,700 for TY 2011. Yes, he is required to claim unemployment income whether you file married filing jointly or married filing separately. I hope this helps you! Thank you, Lisa Lewis Reply
Hi Shanita, If you suspect any fraud related to use of your social security number please click on this link http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq/0,,id=199590,00.html and follow these instructions. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
I have a question. My son is living with me. He is 26. He works and I’m sure he has made more than 3,600.00. Can I claim him on my income taxes? I support him mostly. He does pay child support for 5 children. He just make a little more than minimum wage. Thank you for your time. Reply
Hi Marie, Sorry, if he made more than $3,650.00 for TY 2010 and $3,700 for TY 2011 you are not allowed to claim him as a dependent. Thank you, Lisa Lewis Reply
Hi , My Boyfriend supports my son and I to the fullest. We live with his mother but we pay rent and some utilities, buy our clothes, food and whatever necessary.She is trying to claim me and my child on her taxes, Is this illegal? My sons father has a nice job and should be claiming our son and myself. What should I do? Reply
Hi Lindsey, First, let me apologize. I responded to your comment on 9/1, however my September responses have to be done again due to enhancements being made to the blog. No, your boyfriend’s mother would not be able to claim you and your son. The only way she would be able to claim you is if she provided over half of your support and it does not appear that she is doing that. Your boyfriend can claim your son and he can claim you as long no one else claims you on their taxes, you are not required to file a tax return and you meet the following test: 1. Your relationship must be legal. You or your boyfriend cannot be legally married to someone else. 2. You must be a member of his household the entire year. 3. You must meet the gross income test making less than $3700 in gross income for TY 2011 and $3650 in gross income for TY2010. 4. Your boyfriend must have provided over half of your support for that year. Support is classified as amounts spent for food, lodging, clothing, education, medical and dental expenses, recreation, transportation, and necessities. 5. You must be a U.S. citizen or resident alien of the U.S. I hope this helps you! Lisa Lewis Reply
i own this house. my parent and my wife parent live on same house but we dont live in that property.but they are getting social security and my mother and father law are getting social security income and foods stump and health benefit from the government and they are not paying the house we are letting them staying for free and also i am paying for the utillities. do i get tax credit or tax deductible if so how much will i get.thank for reading. Reply
Hi Pete, First, I apologize. I responded to your comment the beginning of September, but some of the responses were lost during our enhancements to the blog so I am sending responses again. Unfortunately, you can only write your parents and in-laws off as dependents if you provided over half of the support for them. Because they receive social security, food stamps, and health benefits that most likely covers over half of their support. Thank you, Lisa Lewis Reply
I have guardianship of a child how do I file them on my taxes.. She is my cousin I just don’t know how this works I do have legal guardianship of her. Reply
Hi Sam, If you have guardianship of the child you can claim them as a dependent as long as you meet the following test: – Dependent Taxpayer Test – You or the child cannot be claimed as a dependent of another. – Joint Return Test – Your dependent cannot file a joint return with another person. – Citizen or Resident Test – Person must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national or resident of Canada or Mexico. The child would be considered your “Qualifying Relative”. If the child was your adopted child they would be considered as your “Qualifying Child” There are additional test that must be met for a “Qualifying Child” as follows: – The child cannot be your “Qualifying Child” or “Qualifying Child” of another taxpayer. – The child must be related to you. – The child’s gross income must be less than $3700 for TY2011 and $3650 for TY2010 – You must provide more than half of the support. For more information see IRS Pub 17 http://www.irs.gov/publications/p501/ar02.html#en_US_2010_publink1000220939 Also, when preparing your taxes using TurboTax, you will be guided on how to file http://www.turbotax.com/lp/ty10/ppc/hp.jsp?priorityCode=4515700000&ven=gg&cid=ppc_gg_b_stan_us+ca_btt+nm+ca&adid=8672506428&skw=TurboTax& kw=Turbotax I hope this helps you! Thank you, Lisa Lewis Reply
Hi Betty Werts, Your grandchild can only be claimed by one person or on one tax return. Here is another article that might help: http://blog-turbotax-intuit-com-prelaunch.go-vip.net/tax-tips/who-can-i-claim-as-a-dependent-for-this-tax-year/03292011-5110 Hope this helps, Ashley Reply
my 9 year old granddaughter lives with us during the week she stays with her mother on the weekends. this is my son’s daughter he was never married and there was never a DNA proving the father of the baby, we claim her as our granddaughter. Her mother claims her on her income tax my question is can I as the grandparent also claim her on my income tax thank you, any help would be appreicated Reply
Im 36yrs living with my relative my sister. can she claim me as a dependent if im collecting unemployment benifits. Reply
i am 23 and only worked 1 1/2 weeks in december last year. i have a 2 yr old daughter who lives with me. we both were recieving foodstamps in KY last year. now we live with my parents and sister in NY. can my sister claim me or my daughter in her taxes? and do i still need to file taxes for just working those 1 1/2 weeks? I was also married last year till august. but then got an annulment. should i file taxes with my ex husband, even though we are back to our single status’? please help 🙂 Reply
I support my girlfriends 2 year old uncle’s son. He lives with us and I support him. His parents offer no support for this child. Reply
i live with my boyfriend and not working just had a baby with him. my other son lives with us too hes 18. can he claim all 3 of us as dependents? Reply
My wife and I have supported our son and 3 grandchildren for the last year. Son had no income but he and our grandson lived separate from us which we paid for all expenses. 2 granddaughters live with us fulltime. He is divorced and is custodial parent and is owed back child support. Do we file and claim all 4 of them as dependents? How does he file to receive the back child support owed? Reply
My 21 year old son attended college last year and moved home after the Christmas break. As I funded his education and dorm expenses, can I claim him as a dependent? Reply