Is the $4300 income limit for full-time college students to be dependents new this year? Previously, it didn't matter as long as I was providing 1/2 of their support.

It has always depended on their age.  If they were under 24 on December 31 you can claim a full time student no matter how much they made.  If they turned 24 during the year you can only claim them if they made less than 4,300 in 2021.

 

See IRS Publication 501 starting on page 11 bottom Dependents

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p501.pdf

 

Who can I claim as a dependent?

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/credits-and-deductions/help/who-can-i-claim-as-my-dependent/00/26781

 

 

Q.  Is there a $4300 income limit for full-time college students to be dependents ?

A.  No. There never has been (since 2004).  Being a full time student, under 24 (plus other rules, see below) means there is no income test to be a dependent.

Q. Previously, it didn't matter as long as I was providing 1/2 of their support?

A.  No, that's not true either. 

There are two types of dependents, "Qualifying Children"(QC) and standard ("Qualifying Relative" in IRS parlance). The support test is different for each type. The support test, for a QC, is only that the child didn't provide more than half his own support. The support test for a Qualifying Relative is that the taxpayer provided more than half the relative's support.

 

A child of a taxpayer can still be a “Qualifying Child” (QC) dependent, regardless of his/her income, if:

1. He is under age 19, or under 24 if a full time student for at least 5 months of the year, or is totally & permanently disabled
2. He did not provide more than 1/2 his own support. Scholarships are excluded from the support calculation
3. He lived with the parent (including temporary absences such as away at school) for more than half the year

 

So, it doesn't matter how much he earned. What matters is how much he spent on support. Money he put into savings does not count as support he spent on him self.

The support value of the home, provided by the parent, is the fair market rental value of the home plus utilities & other expenses divided by the number of occupants.

 

See full dependent rules at: https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/tax-tips/Family/Rules-for-Claiming-a-Dependent-on-Your-Tax-Return/INF12139.html