Can i file independent as and 18 year old college student?

[tanner_ivester]

My mother claims that i cant file as independent until i'm 21 or older or no longer in college. I filed my taxes easily claiming "no one can claim me as a dependent", but my mom still claimed me in taxes. She says the IRS is red flagging our taxes, but turbo tax has not said anything about my taxes being on hold or delay. I'm sure she's lying, but can i not file as independent at 18 years old? If not, what are the conditions?

[cyphris-falls]

You can, seems like shes trying to get a bigger return.

[VolvoGirl]

If you claimed yourself and your mother claimed you then the second one to file will reject and have to mail their return.  

She can normally claim you if you are under 19 on Dec 31 (which you were) even if you are not a college student and no matter how much you made.  If you are 19-23 she can still claim you if you are a full time student no matter how much you make.

[VolvoGirl]

You might need to amend your return.  You need to wait for your return to be fully processed and you get the first refund or your tax due payment has cleared.   Then you can mail in an amended return.  Do NOT change anything yet on your return until you start the amended return.   If you have changed it then take out the changes and put it back to the way it was when you originally filed.  You can fill out the amended return now but  it won't be ready to print it out  until mid-Feb

How to Amend
<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1894381-how-to-amend-change-or-correct-a-return-you-already-filed"...>

You will get your original refund and get to keep it. When you go through the amendment section it asks you how much you paid or got back on the original return so be sure to enter it. Then the amended return will only show the difference you get back or need to pay. You can confirm this by printing your amendment and looking at the 1040X. Line 17 should be your original refund amount and line 20 should be your additional refund.  If you paid on your original return it will be on line 15.  If there is an amount owed with the amendment, it will be on line 19.

[jerry2000 · Accepted solution]

When you enter your personal information, the question that you answer is can you be claimed on someone elses return, well, if you are 19 - 23, a full time college student and you did not provide more than half of your income, then you have to answer that you can be claimed. Here are the complete rules - pay particular attention to the rules for claiming a qualifying child:

Rules for Claiming an Exemption for a Dependent:

- You cannot claim any dependents if you, or your spouse if filing jointly, could be claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer.
- You cannot claim a married person who files a joint return as a dependent unless that joint return is only a claim for refund and there would be no tax liability for either spouse on separate returns.
- You cannot claim a person as a dependent unless that person is a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico.
- You cannot claim a person as a dependent unless that person is your qualifying child or qualifying relative.

Test to be a Qualifying Child:
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 and younger than you (or your spouse, if filing jointly), (b) under age 24 at the end of the year, a full-time student and younger than you (or your spouse, if filing jointly), (c) any age if permanently and totally disabled.
3. The child must have lived with you for more than half of the year (except for temporary absences such as for school)
4. The child must not have provided more than half of his or her support for the year.
5. The child is not filing a joint return for the year (unless that
return is filed only as a claim for refund).
6. 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.

Test to be a Qualifying Relative:

1. The person cannot be your qualifying child or the qualifying child of any other taxpayer.
2. The person either (a) be related to your in one of the following ways:
Your child, stepchild, foster child, or a descendant of any of them
Your brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, or stepsister.
Your father, mother, grandparent, or other direct ancestor, but not foster parent.
Your stepfather or stepmother.
A son or daughter of your brother or sister.
A brother or sister of your father or mother.
Your son-in-law, daughter-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law.
or (b) must live with you all year as a member of your household (and your relationship must not violate local law).
3. The person's gross income for the year must be less than $4,000 (social security does not count).
4. You must provide more than half of the person's total support for the year.

There is a very good worksheet to help you determine how much support you provide. It is on page 15 of IRS Pub. 501
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p501.pdf

[dviruet]

It's a tricky thing. I'm 19 years old and I completely understand your approach to the matter of labeling yourself as an independent. The reason why you can't is because of the fact that you rely on your mother to assist you in paying for college. In the FAFSA, you need your parent(s) to help file it cause the government goes through a myriad of ways to find out if you can afford college. To call yourself independent would mean that your pay your own health insurance, pay for your own place to stay and/or you pay to live on campus, and you possess enough credit to receive loans. End of it all, to claim as independent you must receive no support from your parents what so ever. Now don't let the concept of being dependent though bring you down. Since you do not have any ties attached to you being a dependent, use this time to increase your credit score, create a savings account, invest into your future, and get yourself financially ready for when you're independent!