My Daughter is 26, a U.S. Citizen with a Social Security Number, was in Graduate school full-time in 2025 (She will graduate May 2026). She lives off-campus in a rented home near school all year. Her Gross Income is less than $5050. I pay for more than half of her Support including Tuition, her share of Rent and Food, Healthcare Insurance, Car Insurance and any significant Repairs, some Clothing, etc. Can I claim her as a Dependent and also claim the 1098-T on my return? (I file MFJ with my Wife).
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Since she is age 24 or older, you should be able to claim her as a dependent under the Qualifying Relative rules provided she meets all the requirements under the rules. If you do claim her as a dependent then the education expenses would be entered on your tax return (Form 1098-T)
To be a Qualifying Relative -
1. The person cannot be your qualifying child or the qualifying child of any other taxpayer. A child is not the qualifying child of any other taxpayer if the child's parent (or any other person for whom the child is defined as a qualifying child) is not required to file an income tax return or files an income tax return only to get a refund on income tax withheld.
2. The person either (a) must be related to you or (b) must live with you all year as a member of your household.
3. The person's gross income for the year must be less than $5,200 (social security does not count) in 2025
4. You must provide more than half of the person's total support for the year.
5. The person must be a U.S. citizen or a U.S., Canada, or Mexico resident for some part of the year.
6. The person must not file a joint return with their spouse with the following exception -
You can claim a person as a dependent who files a joint return if that person and that person’s spouse file the joint return only to claim a refund of income tax withheld or estimated tax paid.
Yes, you can claim your daughter as a dependent and can also claim her education credit by entering her 1098-T on your tax return.
If her income is only wages reported on a form W-2, she is not required to file her own tax return.
Please read this TurboTax article on Who Can I Claim as a Tax dependent?
Since she is age 24 or older, you should be able to claim her as a dependent under the Qualifying Relative rules provided she meets all the requirements under the rules. If you do claim her as a dependent then the education expenses would be entered on your tax return (Form 1098-T)
To be a Qualifying Relative -
1. The person cannot be your qualifying child or the qualifying child of any other taxpayer. A child is not the qualifying child of any other taxpayer if the child's parent (or any other person for whom the child is defined as a qualifying child) is not required to file an income tax return or files an income tax return only to get a refund on income tax withheld.
2. The person either (a) must be related to you or (b) must live with you all year as a member of your household.
3. The person's gross income for the year must be less than $5,200 (social security does not count) in 2025
4. You must provide more than half of the person's total support for the year.
5. The person must be a U.S. citizen or a U.S., Canada, or Mexico resident for some part of the year.
6. The person must not file a joint return with their spouse with the following exception -
You can claim a person as a dependent who files a joint return if that person and that person’s spouse file the joint return only to claim a refund of income tax withheld or estimated tax paid.
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