If your parents claimed you as a dependent on their income tax return, and you do not believe that you meet the requirements of a dependent, you can request that your parents amend their return (you would need to file an extension and wait until their amended return was processed).
If you do meet the requirement as a dependent, then you will need to go into your return and click on My Info and click on Edit next to your name and scroll down to the question "Someone else can claim me as a dependent on their tax return." Change your answer from "no' to "yes."
Please see the following TurboTax FAQ for the eligibility requirements that determine
whether a person can be claimed as a dependent on your federal tax return:
You can claim
a child, relative, friend, fiance (etc.) as a dependent on your 2017 taxes as
long as they meet the following requirements:
Qualifying
child
- They are related to you.
- They
aren't claimed as a dependent by someone else.
- They are a
U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.
- They
aren’t 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).
- They
didn't provide more than half of their own support for the year
Qualifying
relative
- They don't
have to be related to you (despite the name).
- They
aren't claimed as a dependent by someone else.
- They are a
U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.
- They
aren’t filing a joint return with their spouse.
- They lived
with you the entire year.
- They made
less than $4,150 in 2018.
- 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.
