Dependant

[Sstribli]

Turbo Tax is telling me I can claim my 20 year old son even though he took 2019 off from college. It is also telling me I can claim head of household. Is this correct?

[macuser_22]

You can claim a non-student dependent of any age (and file HOH) if the rules for a Qualifying Relative are met.

---Tests to be a Qualifying Relative (& Unrelated Persons)---
(Must meet ALL of these tests to be a dependent)

1. The person cannot be your qualifying child or the qualifying child of any other taxpayer.

2. The person either must be related to you, or must live with you all year (all 365 days - There are exceptions for temporary absences such as school, illness, business, vacation, military service) as a member of your household.

3. The person's gross income for the year must be less than $4,200 (tax-exempt income, such as certain social security benefits, is not included in gross income)

4. You must provide more than half of the person's total support** for the year.

5. The person is not filing a joint return.

In any case, the person must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico

The above is simplified; see IRS Publication 501 for full information.
https://www.irs.gov/publications/p501#en_US_2018_publink1000220939

** Worksheet for determining support
https://www.irs.gov/publications/p501#en_US_2019_publink1000226268

[Sstribli]

So why would Turbo Tax let me take the head of household exemption and claim my son if if was not 19 or  full time student for 2019 ?

[macuser_22]

Did yiu read my post above that question - it tells you why.

[NCperson]

if he lived in your home for all 12 months and earned less than $4200, age is not a limiting factor. 

if you answer all the questions correctly in TT, you are paying them for the accuracy of the asnwer provided; trust it! 

[macuser_22]

---

@NCperson wrote:

if he lived in your home for all 12 months and earned less than $4200, age is not a limiting factor. 

It is not necessary that a closely related relative live in your home at all.   You must pay more than half of their total support for the year and their gross income (not earned income) must be less then $4,200.

See the rules that I posted above.