Can I claim myself on my taxes?

[nsoap]

I am a 21 year old college student, but I am not a full-time student. I work throughout the year and made around 15k in 2017. I pay for literally everything; my car, car insurance, car taxes, gas, phone, tuition, books, clothes, etc.... I just live with my parents and eat here sometimes. I am hardly even home half the time. I honestly just sleep here. My dad is refusing letting me claim myself. Is this legal? Am I allowed to claim myself? 

[levisncap89]

You are allowed to claim yourself. IRS rules mandate that your parents have to provide more than half of your support in order to claim you as a dependent. That does not sound like it is the case here.

[nsoap]

So they legally can’t claim me? My dad is saying he supports me by paying mortgage and internet and ac and water bill and such.... saying that’s 50% of my support

[levisncap89 · Accepted solution]

No, they can't claim you. The qualifying child status for claiming a dependent dies at age 19 unless the dependent to be claimed is a full-time student, in which case it gets extended to age 24 or the child is permanently and fully disabled. You aren't a full-time student, ergo you don't pass the qualifying child test. Legally, they would be committing tax fraud by claiming you as a dependent.

Show them this:

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-news/fs-05-07.pdf

if they try to argue with you about it 🙂