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New Member
posted May 31, 2019 4:48:23 PM

Am I able to claim a child that's not legally mine but that I have had her full time and only one who has supported her all year?

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11 Replies
Level 15
May 31, 2019 4:48:25 PM

Is the child related to you in any way? If so, how?

New Member
May 31, 2019 4:48:27 PM

It doesn't matter if the child is related.  If you provided more than half of her support for at least 6 months for the current tax year, and no one else can or will claim the child on their return, then yes, you can claim the child.

New Member
May 31, 2019 4:48:29 PM

What form I need to give to the mother of the child I claimed on my taxs to prove that I did take care of that child all year

Level 15
May 31, 2019 4:48:31 PM

There is no form to give to the mother. Did the child live with a parent more than half the year?

New Member
May 31, 2019 4:48:31 PM

What do I claim the child under

Level 15
May 31, 2019 4:48:33 PM

Please start a new post with a more complete question.

New Member
May 31, 2019 4:48:35 PM

I just filed my taxes my girlfriends son I supported the whole year and lived with me but we are not married can I claim him as a stepson

New Member
May 31, 2019 4:48:36 PM

i had filed my girlfriends two boys on my tax return in 2015 now this return 2017 they took it because of it how
?

Level 15
May 31, 2019 4:48:38 PM

There are two types of dependents. The type that gives you the most tax benefits is the qualifying child dependent. The child must be related to you for you to claim this type of dependency. Here are the tests:

1. The child must be your son, daughter, stepchild, foster chld, brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, stepsister, or a descendant of any of them.

2. The child must be (a) under age 19 at the end of the year, (b) under age 24 at the end of the year and a full-time student, or (c) any age and permanently and totally disabled.

3. The child must have lived with you for more than half of the year. Temporary absences while away at college are considered living with you.

4. The child must not have provided more than half of his or her own support for the year.

5. If the child meets the rules to be a qualifying child of more than one person, you must be the person entitled to claim the child as a qualifying child. 

6. The child must be a U.S. citizen or U.S., Canada or Mexico resident for some portion of the year.

7. The child must be younger than you (or your spouse, if filing jointly) unless disabled.

The other type is a qualifying relative dependent who does not have to be related to you. Here are the tests for that type of dependent:

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  taxable income for the year must be less than $3,950 in 2014.
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, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico.

New Member
Feb 18, 2020 11:14:38 AM

The children's mother is my 1st cousin. And they all lived with me all of last year. And I supported them financially.

Expert Alumni
Feb 18, 2020 11:35:02 AM

Will a parent of the child be claiming the child on their tax return? 

 

Will you be claiming the child's mother as a dependent on your tax return?

 

You may be able to claim the child but there are many questions to which the answers are unknown.

 

Please see the rules for dependents here.