My daughter and two grandchildren lived in my home for these 9 months of 2021. She worked off and on starting Mid-January. I even paid for her attorney and divorce last year only for her to go back to the deadbeat recently. I am not certain of how much income she made from January to October while living here. She did contribute exactly $1200.00 in these last 9 months to help with bills but my bills just for the house alone are over $2800.00 monthly. Can I legally claim them as dependents for 2021? I have claimed them the last 2 years because it has been the same circumstance only then she did not work, and I paid for her to go to school providing transportation and so forth. However, I am learning that the deadbeat and her want to file their taxes together he has never provided any type of support the times she has left him and moved home. In fact, he has gone 10 months before without seeing the children. I am appalled is it even legal if neither one of them supplied 50% of her and the children's living expenses for the last 9 months of 2021. Can I still legally claim them as dependants as I have done for the last 2 years? Because I in fact and truthfully DID provide childcare and over 50% of their living expenses for 2021.
