He will have to amend if he does not fit either category of dependent.
Qualifying Child
Relationship — the taxpayer’s child or stepchild (whether by blood or adoption), foster child, sibling or step-sibling, or a descendant of one of these.
Residence — has the same principal residence as the taxpayer for more than half the tax year. Exceptions apply, in certain cases, for children of divorced or separated parents, kidnapped children, temporary absences, and for children who were born or died during the year.
Age — must be under the age of 19 at the end of the tax year, or under the age of 24 if a full-time student for at least five months of the year, or be permanently and totally disabled at any time during the year.
Support — did not provide more than one-half of his/her own support for the year.
Qualifying Relative
You can claim a child, relative, friend, fiancé (etc.) as a dependent on your 2020 taxes as long as they meet all of the following requirements :
- You provided more than half of their financial support. More info
- They made less than $4,300 in gross income during 2020 unless they are a qualifying child.
- They live with you or they are related to you. (Your relative must live at your residence all year or be on the list of “relatives who do not live with you” in Publication 501.)
- They are a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.
- They aren't (or won't be) claimed as a dependent by someone else.
- They aren’t filing a joint return with their spouse.
- You are not being claimed as a dependent on someone else's return.
- Sign in to TurboTax.
- Scroll down to Your tax return & documents (you may need to select Show), select 2020 and then Amend (change) return.
- If you only see the option to amend 2019 or earlier, it's because you can't amend an unfiled 2020 return. Instead, just select Pick up where you left off, make your changes, and disregard the rest of these instructions.
- Select Amend using TurboTax Online.
- Carefully follow the instructions. Don't worry if your refund changes to $0. This is normal on amended returns.
- You can e-file your 2020 amended federal tax return, but most states require amendments to be printed and filed by mail.
- If e-filing, you’ll review, sign and transmit your federal return. If not, we'll give you instructions to print and mail your amended return.
Three weeks after mailing your amended return, you can start tracking it at the IRS Where's My Amended Return? tracking tool. Please allow at least 16 weeks for the IRS to process your amended return.
Processing times for amended state returns vary from state to state. If it's been more than 12 weeks since you mailed your amended state return, and you haven't heard anything, we suggest you contact your state tax agency.
