For tax purposes, you would only be a dependent of someone if you met the IRS qualifications:
These rules generally apply to all dependents:
- A dependent must be a U.S. citizen, resident alien or national or a resident of Canada or Mexico
- A person can't be claimed as a dependent on more than one tax return, with rare exceptions
- A dependent can't claim a dependent on their own tax return
- You can't claim your spouse as a dependent if you file jointly
- A dependent must be a qualifying child or qualifying relative
A qualifying relative must meet general rules for dependents and pass these tests:
See the full rules for a qualifying relative
You may be able to file as head of household if you meet all the following requirements:
- You are unmarried or considered unmarried on the last day of the year. See Marital Status, earlier, and Considered Unmarried, later.
- You paid more than half the cost of keeping up a home for the year.
- A qualifying person lived with you in the home for more than half the year (except for temporary absences, such as school). However, if the qualifying person is your dependent parent, your dependent parent doesn’t have to live with you. See Special rule for parent, later, under Qualifying Person.
A qualifying person for head of household is:
- Your child, stepchild, or foster child, or a descendant of any of them (for example, your grandchild). (A legally adopted child is considered your child.)
- 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 son or daughter of your half brother or half 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.
See this TurboTax tips article for more information.
@kambrycazier
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