Dependent and Stimulus Check

[dnordin]

My son turned 18 this year in Feb.  He had a job last year and based on the rules of the stimulus check, he should be able to receive $1200 if I don't claim him as a dependent on my 2019 tax return which I'm about to file.  He did have a job last year and I already filed his 2019 tax returns back in April (he received a refund).

So my question is this...how do I remove him as a dependent in 2017?  Do I just remove him altogether from my tax returns?  Is this a smart move?  And if I do remove him, how do we get him in line for the stimulus check?

[xmasbaby0]

No.  Just because your son turned 18 this year in 2020, he does not get a stimulus check.  He can still be claimed as a dependent at his age, so he does not qualify to get a stimulus check for himself.  A person who CAN be claimed as a dependent does not get a stimulus check.  

Please review the rules for claiming a dependent.  He is still a qualifying child.  He was only 17 in 2019 according to what you said.

WHO CAN I CLAIM AS A DEPENDENT?

You can claim a child, relative, friend, fiance (etc.) as a dependent on your 2019 taxes as long as they meet the following requirements:

Qualifying child

• They are related to you.

• They cannot be claimed as a dependent by someone else.

• They are a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or   Mexican resident.

• They are not filing a joint return with their spouse.

• They are under the age of 19 (or 24 for full-time students).

• No age limit for permanently and totally disabled children

  •      They live with you for more than half the year (exceptions apply).

Qualifying relative

• They don't have to be related to you (despite the name).

• They cannot be claimed as a dependent by someone else.

• They are a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.

• They are not filing a joint return with their spouse.

• They lived with you the entire year.

• They made less than $4200  (not counting Social Security)

• You provided more than half of their financial support. More info

When you add someone as a dependent, we'll ask a series of questions to make sure you can claim them.

Related Information:

• Does a dependent have to live with me?

• What does "financially support another person" mean?

• Can I claim a newborn baby?

IRS interview to help determine who can be claimed:

https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/who-can-i-claim-as-a-dependent

[xmasbaby0]

Please review the rules for eligibility for stimulus checks from the IRS site:

Q2. Who is not eligible? (updated June 5, 2020)

A2. Although some filers, such as high-income filers, will not qualify for an Economic Impact Payment, most will.

Taxpayers likely won't qualify for an Economic Impact Payment if any of the following apply:

• You do not have any qualifying children and your adjusted gross income is greater than
  • $198,000 if your filing status was married filing jointly
  • $136,500 for head of household
  • $99,000 for all other eligible individuals
• You can be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return. For example, this would include a child, student who can be claimed on a parent’s return or a dependent parent who is claimed on their child’s return.
• You do not have a Social Security number that is valid for employment.
• You are a nonresident alien.
• You filed Form 1040-NR or Form 1040NR-EZ, Form 1040-PR or Form 1040-SS for 2019.
• An incarcerated individual.
• A deceased individual.
• An estate or trust.

[dnordin]

So there is a minimum age to get a stimulus check based on their age in 2019?  I did not know that.  Since he was 18 by the time the stimulus check was announced I thought he would qualify as long as he was not claimed as a dependent in 2019.  So you are saying based on the below, that I should go ahead and claim him as a dependent on 2019 tax return because he wouldn't qualify for the stimulus check anyway because he was 17 in 2019.  Please confirm.  As more info, I, unfortunately, do NOT qualify for the stimulus check based on income.   Thank you.

I realize he "can" be claimed as a dependent in 2019 but if he could get $1200 by me not claiming him, that would be a better return than whatever child tax credit I receive.

[xmasbaby0]

Whether you "do" claim him does not change the fact that he can be claimed, so no point amending his return to say he cannot be claimed.  And---you lost the child tax credit when he turned 17.  Now you may get the $500 credit for other dependents for him....You can still claim your child as a dependent until he turns 24 IF he is a full-time student.  And you may want to claim education credits if he goes to college.  Do not be in such a hurry to say he is not your dependent.  

Bottom line--the IRS is not going to send your teenager $1200.