Cancer, dependent, college

[lunaphile]

I'm in college and last year I was diagnosed with cancer. I can be claimed as a dependent by my parents, and they paid my medical bills. Should they claim my medical expenses on their taxes, and do I have to be a dependent for them to do that?

[Patrice · Accepted solution]

Yes, Your parents would be able to claim you while your are a college student if the following applies:

• You are between the ages of 19 and 24,

• You are a full time student for 2016

• To be a student, they must be, during some part of each of any 5 calendar months of the year:

• A full-time student at a school that has a regular teaching staff, course of study, and a regularly enrolled student body at the school, or

• A student taking a full-time, on-farm training course given by a school described in (1), or by a state, county, or local government agency.

• The 5 calendar months don't have to be consecutive.

• You did not provide more than half of her own support.

• This test is different from the support test to be a qualifying relative, which is described later. However, to see what is or isn't support, see Support Test (To Be a Qualifying Relative) , later. If you aren't sure whether a child provided more than half of his or her own support, you may find Worksheet 2 helpful.

• You did not file a joint tax return.

• An exception to the joint return test applies if your child and his or her spouse file a joint return only to claim a refund of income tax withheld or estimated tax paid.

If you qualify as their dependent then they can claim your medical expenses on their taxes.  However, you do have to be a dependent on their return for them to claim your medical expenses.