What qualifies as a dependent?

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
April 22, 2020
1 reply
20 views

Hi, so I asked before about if I should amend my taxes and the answer I got was yes. I still haven't been able to amend my taxes because my dad refuses to amend his.

My dad emailed the tax preparer and according to them, we can still be claimed but not for the child tax credit. Can someone explain to me how I can still be claimed as a dependent? I've already read the guidelines on TurboTax and I'm not a dependent according to them.

I am 24 years old, already graduated and was working before COVID. I am not a college student. Can someone tell me what the heck this tax preparer is talking about because she advised my dad not to amend. What am I missing here because I just don't understand.

TurboTax Free Edition Online

xmasbaby0

Level 15

Were you 24 at the end of 2019? Did you have more than $4200 of income in 2019?

WHO CAN I CLAIM AS A DEPENDENT?

You can claim a child, relative, friend, fiance (etc.) as a dependent on your 2019 taxes as long as they meet the following requirements:

Qualifying child

• They are related to you.

• They cannot be claimed as a dependent by someone else.

• They are a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.

• They are not filing a joint return with their spouse.

• They are under the age of 19 (or 24 for full-time students).

No age limit for permanently and totally disabled children

• They live with you for more than half the year (exceptions apply).

Qualifying relative

• They don't have to be related to you (despite the name).

• They cannot be claimed as a dependent by someone else.

• They are a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.

• They are not filing a joint return with their spouse.

• They lived with you the entire year.

• They made less than $4200 (not counting Social Security)

• You provided more than half of their financial support. More info

When you add someone as a dependent, we'll ask a series of questions to make sure you can claim them.

Related Information:

• Does a dependent have to live with me?

• What does "financially support another person" mean?

• Can I claim a newborn baby?

If you were not a full-time college student in 2019 and were already 24 at the end of 2019 then you cannot be claimed unless you had less than $4200 of income and your parents supported you.

Your parents could only get a $500 credit for other dependents for claiming you. They do not get stimulus money for claiming you. If you were a student, they might be claiming you to get the education credits.

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

a-kAuthor

Level 2

Thank you so much for responding. Yes, I turned 24 in November in 2019 and I had more than $4200 in income. I was a full time student only up until May 2019 which is when I graduated.

I've told my dad several times I'm not a dependent but he refuses to amend because he'd rather listen to that tax preparer. I've just been robbed of my stimulus check.