Can I claim my siblings whom live in my home I pay for everything, but they receive food stamps, they have no income.

Forum|Forum|2 years ago
February 14, 2024
6 replies
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xmasbaby0

Level 15

IRS interview to help determine who can be claimed:

https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/who-can-i-claim-as-a-dependent

We cannot tell you if claiming them as dependents will affect their eligibility for food stamps.

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

Opus 17

Level 15

There are two sets of rules.

Under the rules for "qualifying child dependent", you can claim your sibling as a dependent if they are:

1. younger than you

2. live in your home more than half the year

3. don't provide more than half their own support

4. are under age 19, or a full time student under age 24, or permanently disabled and unable to care for themselves.

For this support test, it is not necessary that you provide more than half their support, only that they provide less than half their own support.

Under the rules for "qualifying relative dependent" you can claim your siblings if:

1. you provide more than half their total support

2. they have less than $4700 of taxable income.

Under this set of rules, it is not necessary that they live in your home, but you must be able to prove you provided more than half their support. You add up all their support costs, and figure out how much of that you provided. There is a worksheet to help you on page 16 of publication 501.

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

For example, suppose the total you paid for rent, utilities, food and other expenses is $2000/month and there are 4 people living in the home. That counts as you paying $500/month toward each other person's support. You can also include amounts spent on clothing, entertainment, travel and so on. Food stamps and other aid counts as support provided by someone else, not you. If you add it up and you paid more than half their total support for the year, you pass this test.

DMarkM1

Level 15

You will need to figure out for each one of them individually. For those that may be a qualifying child, did they contribute more than 1/2 of their own support? Or those that may be qualifying relatives, did you contribute more than 1/2 of their total support. Worksheet 2 in Publication 501 will help you make that determination.

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jenga38Author

Level 2

Thank you! I do pay for rent and utilities, clothing except their food. I don't want them to lose their food stamps if I claim them. I will check out the work sheet you had sent. thank you!

Opus 17

Level 15

" I don't want them to lose their food stamps if I claim them."

That's a matter for your state or local laws, we can't tell you anything about whether your tax return will affect their benefits. You will need to ask a local social worker, or other local expert.