Can I amend my tax returns to remove a dependent so they can collect a stimulus check? Regardless of the reason can I amend my returns and remove a dependant?

[LS13]

@Ericpls I amended my return in June to remove a dependent and just got an update of when it was received and it was being processed. At the 16 week point they stated they need more info. Did you ever find out if they received and processed your return? What was the outcome?

[ggvandg2]

I did file an amended return to take my son (who is a poor college student and could really use the stimulus check) off as a depended. I filed early April and about 2 weeks ago I got a letter from the IRS in the mail with my new amount due. Today, we filed  my son’s tax return online as the stimulus check deadline is Nov. 21. Within minutes we got an email back from the IRS that he cannot file as he is claimed as a dependent on someone else’s (mine) tax return. So now I paid more money ($500 reduction for taking him off as a dependent) but he can still not claim the stimulus check. Just wonderful! And calling the IRS means taking a day off work as that is pretty much how long the wait is on. 

[xmasbaby0]

If your son is not a dependent for tax year 2020, he will be able to get the stimulus money when he files a 2020 tax return.  The reality is that your amended return is not going to result in an immediate stimulus check for him this year.  The IRS is severely backlogged and they just are not reacting that quickly to amended returns and issuing stimulus checks right away.

Further....you say he is a college student.  How old was he at the end of 2019?  If he was under the age of 24 he COULD be claimed as a dependent on a parent's tax return.  If he CAN be claimed as a dependent the rule is that he cannot get a stimulus check.  Wanting the money and being able to use the money from the stimulus check is not the same thing as qualifying for it.

Not sure how you filed a return online----how? E-filing for 2019 returns closed on October 31.

Here are the rules for claiming a dependent.  Does your son meet the criteria to be claimed?  

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?

[NCperson]

the issue of the dependent is confusing.

While you as the parent has the option to claim a child as a dependent (you don't have to if you don't want to), the dependent doesn't have that same option. Note how @xmasbaby0 wrote his response.  From the dependent's perspective, it's "CAN" the parent claim the child, not "DID" the parent claim the child. 

[LS13]

@ggvandg2 For my reference, may I ask when your amended return was processed? What was the timeframe? I did an amended return and it has not yet been processed. Thanks.

[ggvandg2]

I filed late March early April (even before tax day) and finally got the IRS response  Nov. 4

[ggvandg2]

My son is 26. And we filed the “non-filers” return for him online through its.gov just to be informed that somehow he is still registered as a dependent on my tax return. One would think that the IRS would have taken him off as soon as they billed me the extra money for not having him as a dependent on my return. But I guess that would be too easy

[Critter-3]

Ok ... that is not how it works ... once a SS# has been thru the efile system once it cannot be allowed again EVEN if you amend the return to remove the child.   If I were you I would amend the return again to put the dependent back on the 2019 return  and then  he will get to file for the stimulus on the 2020 return ... mailing in a stimulus return now is a waste of effort as it will not be processed before the end of the year.  

I wish you would have asked these questions before you amended anything.  

[jagamarza]

I am so sorry it’s difficult and not working as you had hoped @ggvandg2. 

Once other posters said it would self correct in 2020 if my daughter were not a dependent, we decided to wait. She got married in August. So theoretically they will know she didn’t get the 2020 stimulus and she will then get it in relation to her 2030 filing if I am understanding correctly. I hope I am! 

[xmasbaby0]

@ggvandg2 Now we understand that your son is 26---so he could not be your qualifying child dependent.  We still do not know if he could/should have been claimed as your qualifying relative.  If he had over $4200 of income in 2019 you should not have claimed him at all on your own tax return.  (If he had less than $4200 of income for 2019 he "could" be claimed if you paid for over half his support).     If you should not have claimed him, then you should have amended and you would have lost that $500 credit anyhow since you should not have gotten it----whether there was stimulus money at stake or not.

For your son's 2020 return if he had more than $4250 of income in 2020 then he cannot be claimed as a dependent on your tax return.  So he can get the stimulus money on his 2020 return.  The money people received this year was an advance on a credit that he can get in a few months when he files his 2020 tax return.

[TaxHoney]

Because the original credit for claiming my adult child was $500.   As a result our family has missed out on now two stimulus checks totally $2400.   I wouldn't have claimed him if I had known that they would be excluding him from the stimulus payments.

[TaxHoney]

No, no that is totally incorrect.   As you say the IRS does not care whether you claim them or not.   If you did they don't get a check.   If you didn't they do.   It's that simple.

[TaxHoney]

No it's just means that your son needed to have filed an amended return as well.   You can still do that.   These checks will be issued out all through 2021.  There is no rush.

[TaxHoney]

wrong, it's DID.

[NCperson]

@TaxHoney - not sure what part of the thread you are responding to , but let me state:

Checks for the 1st stimulus end on December 31 - the IRS will not send out any more after tomorrow 

Checks for the 2nd stimulus end on January 15, 2021 - that is how Congress passed it last week - after that date they will not send out any more.

if you are eligible for stimulus and do not receive it by the dates I mention above, the only way to claim the money is on the 2020 tax return.

On the issue of the $500 vs. the $1200 and how the dependency works, if someone CAN be claimed as a dependent on someone else's taxes, they are NOT eligible for the stimulus.  It doesn't matter or not if that other person actually claims them.  So if you have an adult child living with you (not in school) that does not work and you are supporting them  for their living expenses, they are your dependent.  Whether you claim them or not is immaterial.  The fact that you have the option to do so means you CAN claim them and therefore they are not eligible for the stimulus.   If they otherwise state they can't be claimed by someone else when the can, that is what is known as fraud.