There
are two types of dependents--qualifying child and qualifying relative. There is
no specific income limit for a qualifying child dependent for you to claim
them. Here are the requirements:
1. The child must be your son, daughter, stepchild, foster child,
brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, stepsister, or a
descendant of any of them.
2. The child must be (a) under age 19 at the end of the year,
(b) under age 24 at the end of the year and a full-time student, or (c) any age
and permanently and totally disabled.
3. The child must have lived with you for more than half of the
year. Temporary absences while away at college are considered living with you.
4. The child must not have provided more than half of his or her
own support for the year.
5. If the child meets the rules to be a qualifying child of more
than one person, you must be the person entitled to claim the child as a
qualifying child.
6. The child must be a U.S. citizen or U.S., Canada or Mexico
resident for some portion of the year.
7. The child must be younger than you (or your spouse, if filing
jointly) unless disabled.
If the
person doesn't meet the qualifying child requirements, then there is an income
limit to be claimed as a qualifying relative:
1. The person cannot be your qualifying child or the qualifying
child of any other taxpayer. A child is not the qualifying child of any other
taxpayer if the child's parent (or any other person for whom the child is
defined as a qualifying child) is not required to file an income tax return or
files an income tax return only to get a refund on income tax withheld.
2. The person either (a) must be related to you or (b) must live
with you all year as a member of your household. (and must not be in
violation of local law)
3. The person's gross taxable income for the year must be less
than $4,050 in 2016.
4. You must provide more than half of the person's total support
for the year.
5. The person must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S.
national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico.
If a
person meets the requirement to be claimed as a dependent by someone else, they
must indicate that on their tax return if they are required to file one.
