Sometimes we’re so busy growing up that we forget they’re growing old.
Everyone knows that claiming a dependent on your income tax return can get you a significantly larger refund. For every dependent you claim on your taxes you can claim an extra personal exemption. That’s a large chunk of change you can deduct from your income, thus reducing your tax burden.
But who exactly can you claim? Are you eligible to claim your parents as dependents?
When it comes to taxes there are actually two different types of dependents: qualifying children and qualifying relatives.
Obviously, you can’t claim your parents as qualifying children. So the question becomes, do they meet the requirements for qualifying relatives?
Is your parent a qualifying relative for tax purposes?
In order to claim someone as a qualifying relative they must:
- Have lived with you all year as a member of your household, or be one of the following family members: child, parent, sibling, stepparent, stepchild, step-sibling, half sibling, grandparent, grandchild, child-in-law, parent-in-law, sibling-in-law, uncle, aunt, niece, or nephew
- Be a U.S. citizen or resident, or a resident of Canada or Mexico
- Be unmarried, or married but not filing a joint return
- Not be a qualifying child of you or someone else
- Have a gross income of less than $4,000
- Have more than half of their total support for the year provided by you
In plain English, this means that yes you can claim a parent as a dependent but they have to meet the above requirements.
Are Social Security Benefits included?
As a general rule, Social Security benefits are not included in gross income. For more information about Social Security and Disability benefits, check out our other article, “Claiming Parents as Dependents If They Receive Social Security Benefits“. Be sure to make sure they are tax-exempt, because this could determine your eligibility to claim them as a dependent.
When determining if you provided over 50% of a parent’s total support, be sure to consider
- lodging
- food expenses
- utilities
- repairs
- household expenses
- clothing
- education
- medical and dental expenses
- travel
- recreation expenses
If you support a parent who meets all of the requirements listed above be sure to claim them when you file online this season!
I know ofsomeone who has claimed her two sons on her taxes for years both at the time were in the late 40s and early 50s and attimes they did not live with her ….not legal correct
It is possible to claim them depending on factors such as: No Income, Paid more than half of their support, lived with you for the full year, etc. IRS Publication 501
Can I claim my mom as a dependent? She does not work, she lives with me and I pay all the bills. She gets about $1300 dls from her pension that she gets from my step dad. So can I claim her?
Hello Barbara,
Based on what you have provided, you may claim your mother as a dependent. You may double check with this IRS Interview Tool. Thank you.
Hello;
I have a few questions about head of the household filling, deductions, tax withholding and so on..
If I claim head of the household on my w-2’s . ( less taken out, every check )
I live with my mom since forever and I paid, mortgage, utiliites and so on.
All are on her name and she has no income at all. She is filing for SSDI, it will take some time to get an answer.
Can I utilize head of the household status on my W’2 and the tax filing status as well?
Making less than 21k a year. Do you think more likely I owe or will get a refund?
Thank you, very much
For your time and hopefully will hear from you soo
If you are claiming your mother as your dependent when filing your return, she will be unable to claim herself come filing her return. This will allow you to claim head of household, and the amount of income you earn that will be non-taxable. However, from the situation that you have outlined, you will still have income that is subjected to taxes. We will not be able to determine whether you will end up owing or will receive a refund, but the more allowances that you choose to claim, the more likely you will end up having a tax liability.
Hello Liz,
Your W4 form (which determines your W2) must be the same filing status as your tax returns. Furthermore, you will not be able to deduct your Mother’s Mortgage, utilities as the property must be in your name (even if she is your dependent). Lastly given your low income, you would likely receive a refund.
Hi:
I just wanted to find out if my daughter can claim me as dependent for 2017 taxes. I don’t have a job from December 2016 to May 2017.
I started a new job on May 8 as part time temporary and would probably make around $12 thousand give or take by the end of the year.
Thank you.
Hello Lourdes,
If you meet all requirements, your daughter can claim you as a dependent on her return. However, when you are doing your tax return, indicated under special circumstances that you were claimed. You must not have earned or received more than the exemption amount for the tax year. This amount is determined by the IRS and may change from year to year. You may check the IRS website for yearly publications.
My parent in laws will stay with us in our apartment they will stay eith us from october until march can we claim them in the ITR. thanku
In order to claim someone as a qualifying relative they must:
Have lived with you all year as a member of your household, or be one of the following family members: child, parent, sibling, stepparent, stepchild, step-sibling, half-sibling, grandparent, grandchild, child-in-law, parent-in-law, sibling-in-law, uncle, aunt, niece, or nephew
Be a U.S. citizen or resident, or a resident of Canada or Mexico
Be unmarried, or married but not filing a joint return
Not be a qualifying child of you or someone else
Have a gross income of less than $4,000
Have more than half of their total support for the year provided by you
Once you meet the above criteria, you can claim your parent-in-laws as dependents.