Since you say she lived with you and you provided more than half her support, the issue is likely due to the Gross Income Test.
According to IRS Publication 501, to claim a parent as a "Qualify...
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Since you say she lived with you and you provided more than half her support, the issue is likely due to the Gross Income Test.
According to IRS Publication 501, to claim a parent as a "Qualifying Relative," they must meet the Gross Income Test. For 2025, your mother’s Gross Income must be less than $5,200. If she earned even $1 over this amount, the IRS automatically disqualifies her as a dependent, regardless of how much support you provided.
Taxable pensions, traditional IRA distributions, interest, dividends, and wages all count as income. Usually Social Security benefits are excluded from this $5,200 calculation unless she has significant other income (like a large pension) that makes a portion of her Social Security taxable.