Possibly claimed as dependent illegally

[kprowan]

During 2019, I was 21 and not a student. However, I recently learned that I was claimed by my parents after filing my own tax return.

Should they have been able to claim me as a dependent?

[JotikaT2]

It depends.

They may still have been able to claim you as a qualifying relative if you met the following:

• You are not claimed as a dependent by someone else
• You are a U.S. Citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident
• You are not filing a joint return
• You lived with them for the entire year
• You made less than $4,200 in 2019
• They provided more than half of your support

If any of the items listed above do not apply, then they would not be able to claim you as a dependent and may have to amend their tax return.

Dependent qualifications

Amend return

[kprowan]

@JotikaT2 thank you for the info- there's a lot out there saying that to qualify you have as a dependent you have to be under 19 or under 24 and a full-time student, which confused me.

Thanks also for the amend return link.

[kprowan]

@JotikaT2 although now I see that the qualifications link also sets being a full-time student as a qualifier after 19- do you know why that is?

[KrisD15]

The reason a child can be claimed after age 19 if they are a student is that the IRS feels the parents are still supporting that child and therefore has the right to claim them as a dependent. 

Most people can't be a full-time student and still supply more than half their own support.