topic Dependent vs independent student - confusing situation in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

Dependent vs independent student - confusing situation

AcerbicRead — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 09:42:32 GMT

Hi, I am a 21 year old college student not sure whether I count as independent or not.

I have lived at home with my parents for just under 6 months of the year, and made a little over $16000 last year. I lived at school for just over 4 months, and then lived on-site at a job for just over 2 months.

My parents pay for a few of my bills, and have paid me a monthly stipend in the past (around $200), but as far as I know didn't pay more than half my expenses. I am paying the majority of my school bill and housing costs.

When calculating my expenses:

Is living at my parents house for free count for them "paying" an expense? Does my portion of the grocery bill count as an "expense"?

What all counts as "expenses" for me that I payed? My parents did not give me more cash support than I made last year. Do I count all my school, food, etc.? I do know that any part of my school bill that is covered by scholarships/grants/birthday money from grandparents doesn't count as an expense, just the part that I payed.

They still pay for some of my bills (car insurance for $600 a year, medical bills for around $1000, and my phone bill which was $250 ish).

And, most importantly: will this screw up my health insurance?

Re: Dependent vs independent student - confusing situation

GeorgeM777 — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 21:54:32 GMT

Yes, if you live in your parents' home rent free, that is a type of support that your parents have provided to you. Providing a living space does have value and your parents may figure that support in their determination as to whether to include you as their dependent.

Your portion of the grocery bill is your expense. In other words, if your parents were to claim you as a dependent, they would not be able to include your portion of the grocery bill when calculating whether they provided at least half of your support.

To claim a child as a dependent, the person doing the claiming has to answer yes to all of the following:

Are they related to you? The child can be your son, daughter, stepchild, eligible foster child, brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, stepsister, adopted child or an offspring of any of them.
Do they meet the age requirement? Your child must be under age 19 or, if a full-time student, under age 24. There's no age limit if your child is permanently and totally disabled.
Do they live with you? Your child must live with you for more than half the year, but several exceptions apply.
Do you financially support them? Your child may have a job, but they cannot provide more than half of their own support.

More information about dependents can be found at the following link.

Rules for Claiming a Dependent on Your Tax Return

Regarding your health insurance, we don't have enough information to provide a thorough response; however, given your age, generally you don't have to be a dependent on your parents' tax return in order to be covered under their health insurance.

@AcerbicRead

Re: Dependent vs independent student - confusing situation

Hal_Al — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 22:32:57 GMT

@AcerbicRead said "I have lived at home with my parents for just under 6 months of the year, and made a little over $16000 last year. I lived at school for just over 4 months, and then lived on-site at a job for just over 2 months."

The 4 months living at school (and probably the 2 months at a job site) are considered a temporary absence form your parents home. So, for 2022, you lived with them for more than half the year (probably the whole year.

The support value of the home, provided by the parent, is the fair market rental value of the home plus utilities & other expenses divided by the number of occupants. That includes the time you were temporarily absent.

Only your share of the groceries, for the 6 months you were physically there, would count.

Any part of my school bill that is covered by scholarships/grants is ignored in the support calculation. Birthday money from grandparents, is a gift and is treated as your money. Unusually larger gifts, meant as support, should be treated as support not provided by you.