topic Providing more than half Support for Family Member in Deductions & credits

Providing more than half Support for Family Member

Techman1957 — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 08:45:12 GMT

I have provided the majority of my Son and his family's financial support last year. They live in another state. I have paid for almost all of their expenses, including vehicle, insurance, rent, utilities, medical, food, repairs etc. Both were unemployed virtually all of 2021. Can I include that support in my taxes? He is filing his taxes, which includes his wife and children.

Re: Providing more than half Support for Family Member

LeonardS — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 23:53:16 GMT

No, if your son files a tax return that includes his wife and children you can not claim the support you gave them.

Re: Providing more than half Support for Family Member

Techman1957 — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 19:35:30 GMT

Even if all that was income was stimulus?

Re: Providing more than half Support for Family Member

DMarkM1 — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 20:05:24 GMT

Correct. You cannot claim your son as dependent if he files a joint return. Only exception to that rule is if the joint return was filed to claim a refund of taxes withheld from his and his spouse's pay.

This rule and the other tests for claiming a qualifying relative dependent are in Table 5 of Publication 501. All the tests must be met for someone to be claimed as a dependent.