Elegible Dependent

[LAM92]

Can I claim my child as a dependent if she turned 24 in Oct 2020? She is a full time student living at home.

[SweetieJean]

Was her 2020 income less than $4300?  Did you provide more than 50% of her support for the entire year?  Any scholarships or grants?

[Hal_Al]

Maybe.

Turning 24 means the rules change.  

There are two types of dependents, "Qualifying Children"(QC) and standard ("Qualifying Relative" in IRS parlance even though they don't have to actually be related). There is no income limit for a QC but there is an age limit and student status test, a relationship test and a residence test. Only a QC qualifies a taxpayer for the Earned Income Credit.

At 24, she can no longer be a QC.  Now there is an income test. A person can still be a Qualifying relative dependent, if not a Qualifying Child, if he meets the 6 tests for claiming a dependent:

1. Closely Related OR live with the taxpayer ALL year
2. His/her gross taxable income for the year must be less than $4300 (2020).
3. The taxpayer must have provided more than 1/2 his support

In either case:

4. He must be a US citizen or resident of the US, Canada or Mexico
5. He must not file a joint return with his spouse or be claiming a dependent of his own
6. He must not be the qualifying child of another taxpayer

[xmasbaby0]

If your 24 year old had any more than $4300 of income in 2020 you cannot claim her---since she is too old to be a qualified child and had too much income to be a qualified relative.

If she had less than $4300 of income (not counting Social Security) then you might be able to claim her as a qualified relative and get the $500 credit for other dependents for her. You do not get stimulus money for claiming her.   

CREDIT FOR OTHER DEPENDENTS

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/4499708-what-is-the-500-credit-for-other-dependents-family-tax-cre...

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/children-dependents/help/what-does-financially-support-another-per...

[LAM92]

Her income was more than $4300, I provided 100% of her support and she did receive college scholarships.

[DoninGA]

---

@LAM92 wrote:

Her income was more than $4300, I provided 100% of her support and she did receive college scholarships.

---

She is age 24 and her gross income is $4,300 or more.  You cannot claim her as a dependent.