So II hope to get an answer so I can continue to do my own taxes. Here is the current situation
My son is 20 Y.O.
We got full guardianship of him in 2020
He received SSI Disability in July of 2022
Talking with the SSI Office, they recommended us charge him rent and utilities to help receive a higher amount and to give him the experience of becoming somewhat self sufficient, so we did what he suggested.
So we charge him rent and utilities and take it out of his SSI. So I have read we have to claim this. Do I claim just the rent or the flat rate utilities also? He is 20 but still in high school as part of a special needs program, so I can still claim him as a dependent or not? It's all very confusing. We are his guardian and still provide for him and we use his money of course to buy groceries and clothes and so on. I just want to make sure we have this right and legit. I don't want him losing his benefits, and being as we will probably be his care takers for a long time, I want to make sure I don't put us in a predicament where I screwed up and have to make a huge tax payment in the future over an honest mistake.
I don't want to take my taxes in if I don't have to. It is simple enough before to do my own, but becoming a guardian of a disable adult has complicated things a little. Also to note, I don't have any kind of contract with him. I just did what SSI recommended, but didn't think of doing any kind of rental agreement or anything like that as he is our guardianship also, so i am already responsible for him. Thanks everyone
