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!
Hello,
I support my mom, she lives in Mexico City (she is a Mexican citizen). I want to claim her as a dependent, but I was told at a tax office that in order to claim her, she had to live in the US at least 6 months during 2013. Is that correct, or can I still claim her as a dependent? I understand I would also need to file a W7 to get her a tax ID number.
Hi George,
Yes, they are right. In order to claim her she needs to live in the US for at least 6 months during the tax year.
Thank you for the response. I am just a bit confused, I just called the IRS and explained the situation to the agent, she asked me a series of questions regarding my mom and myself, I told her that she did not live in the US for any period of time during 2013 and she said in the end that I can claim her as my dependent and for that regard I need to file the W7 form (and supporting documentation) with my tax return.
George
Yes you can claim your parent, Dependents living in Canada or Mexico are allowed.
Rule is still you must have provided support and must mark they lived in Mexico or Canada
my daughter carried us on her taxes last year and my husband and I are both disable, how much will she get back for us.
Hi Linda,
For every qualified dependent you claim, you reduce your taxable income by $3,900.
I pay half of my aunt’s rent and her social security pays the other half can I claim her as a qualified relative?
Hi Rod,
If your aunt does not live with you, you can not claim her. However, if she lives with you, makes under $3900/year, you provide more than half of her support, and a US citizen, then you can claim her.
Hi,
I have taken care of my mother for 8 yrs now she just received her social security benefits this year I have never claimed since she has always done her taxes…but like I said this year she is receiving her social security benefits if I claim her as dependent will it keep her from getting her money and what would I have to show as to proving I take care of her since I dont keep receipts or she has no set place to stay since she likes to spent time with each one of her kids.
Hi Berta,
As long as you meet the following requirements you can claim your mother as a qualifying relative dependent and it won’t change her social security benefits:
1. Your mother earns less than $3,900 for the year.
2. You provide more than half of her total support during the year.
3. If your mother is married, the dependent cannot file a joint return with her spouse.
4. Your mother must be a citizen or resident alien of the United States, Canada, or Mexico.
My unemployed, single father gets retirement checks and food stamps every month. Nothing else. Can I still claim him? I heard the food stamps may be an issue. Thank you.
Hi Cynthia,
You can claim your father as a qualifying relative as long as:
1. He is a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico for part of the year.
2. He has no more than $3,900 gross income (except nontaxable Social Security benefits) in 2013.
3. He receives more than half his or her support from you.
4. He is not claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer or filing a joint tax return.