@AdamAsks - they way you posed that response may not get you to where you want to be.
You certainly have the option to claim or not claim your child as a dependent, your child does not have that same option.
the dependent is asked CAN you be claimed by someone else, not WERE you claimed by someone else. See the difference.
So even if you decide not to claim a child, that will not make the child eligible for the stimulus payments.
That stated, if the child's circumstances changed, that would be different. For example, last year the child did not work and was not in school and lived at home, so you CAN claim him as a dependent. This year, the only thing that changed is that the child earns more than $4300, so you can NOT claim him. Next year, he is unemployed again, so you CAN claim him.
The point is the child can not decide on a whim and the way the wind is blowing to change the answer to CAN you be claimed; the answer won't changed based on a whim only upon the circumstances.
