should I say I supported myself (student) if I paid for clothes, groceries & some education costs but my parents primarily supported me & claim me as a dependent

[xmasbaby0]

NO----if you are being claimed as a dependent then on your own tax return you must say in MY INFO that someone else can claim you.

If you can be claimed as a dependent and you answer the question in My Info incorrectly, here is what happens if you e-file first:  Your Social Security number goes into the IRS system as having been used.  When your parents try to e-file, their e-file is rejected and they will find it impossible to e-file their own tax return.  Then they will have to print, sign and mail their return and wait for months for it to be processed.  You, meanwhile, will have to file an amended tax return on a special form called a 1040X, which also takes months for the IRS to process.  So make sure you know the correct answer to "Can anyone claim you as a dependent on their tax return?"

[Hal_Al]

With the tax law change, effective 2018, most students will get the same refund whether they claim themselves or not. The personal exemption has been eliminated and the standard deduction increased. However, you only get an education credit, if you are not a dependent.  However, most undergrads are not eligible for the tuition credit, even when they are not dependents.*

There are two types of dependents, "Qualifying Children"(QC) and Other ("Qualifying Relative" in IRS parlance even though they don't have to actually be related). There is no income limit for a QC but there is an age limit, student status, a relationship test and residence test.

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 himself.

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.  If the parent co-signs for a student loan, that support is considered as coming from the parent. 

The IRS has a worksheet that can be used to help with the support calculation. See: http://apps.irs.gov/app/vita/content/globalmedia/teacher/worksheet_for_determining_support_4012.pdf

*There's a new urban myth among college students that says they can get a $1000 from the government just for filing a tax form. For most of them, they simply aren't eligible. A full time unmarried student, under age 24, even if you don't qualify as a dependent, is only eligible for the refundable portion of the American Opportunity Credit if he supports himself by working. You cannot be supporting yourself on parental support, 529 plans or student loans & grants. It is usually best if the parent claims that credit. 

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Reference: Line 7 instructions for form 8863.

https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i8863#en_US_2024_publink53002gd0e674

https://www.irs.gov/instructions/i8863