TurboTax won't let me choose parent as dependent

[dd152]

We moved my stepfather to an assisted living (AL) home in October 2025 for medical reasons and paid for the first 3 months of his care. We qualify for a deduction as he is in AL due to requiring supervision due to a cognitive impairment. TurboTax won't let me list him as a dependent because he did not live with us for at least 6 months last year, however since he went from his home to AL he technically never lived with us. All the information I am reading says we can deduct the payment for his care at the AL home, but I can't figure out how to enter it in Turbo Tax. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

[DoninGA]

A qualifying relative does not have to live in your home for 6 months.  Go back through the dependent section and review your answers.  You should have chosen Other Person and then Father as the person you support.

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.

[dd152]

It must be the income level that is preventing me from listing him as a dependent. So, even though he is in an assisted living home with cognitive impairment, I can't deduct what we spent because of his income level?

[DoninGA]

@dd152 If his income in 2025 was $5,200 or more (Social Security does not count) then you cannot claim him as a dpendent.

[MonikaK1]

In addition to the information shared y @DoninGA - see also this TurboTax help article on the rules for Other Dependents. A stepparent meets the Relationship test.

Related or not, the person you’re claiming as a qualified relative must also fit these criteria:

• They haven’t already been claimed for the Child Tax Credit or Credit for Other Dependents, either by you or by anyone else.
• They have an SSN, ITIN, or ATIN issued on or before the due date of your return (including extensions).
• They are a US citizen, US resident alien, or US national.
• They aren’t filing a joint return with their spouse.
• They either lived with you for the entire year or are related to you.
• They have less than $5,200 gross income this year (nontaxable Social Security doesn't count).
• You provided more than half of their financial support (more info).

@dd152