Why sign in to the Community?

  • Submit a question
  • Check your notifications
Sign in to the Community or Sign in to TurboTax and start working on your taxes
New Member
posted Feb 12, 2021 1:34:40 PM

Can I be claimed as a dependant if I withdrew from school in February 2020 for health reasons? I am not self supporting, my mother supports me. I am back in school now.

0 2 170
2 Replies
Expert Alumni
Feb 14, 2021 5:02:46 PM

It depends.  Here are the general qualifications to claim a person as a dependent:

 

You can claim a child, relative, friend, or fiancé (etc.) as a dependent on your 2020 taxes as long as they meet the following requirements:

Qualifying child

  • They're related to you.
  • They aren't claimed as a dependent by someone else.
  • They're a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.
  • They aren’t filing a joint return with their spouse.
  • They're under the age of 19 (or 24 for full-time students).
    • No age limit for permanently and totally disabled children.
  • They lived with you for more than half the year (exceptions apply).
  • They didn't provide more than half of their own support for the year.

Qualifying relative

  • They don't have to be related to you (despite the name).
  • They aren't claimed as a dependent by someone else.
  • They're a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.
  • They aren’t filing a joint return with their spouse.
  • They lived with you the entire year.
  • They made less than $4,300 in 2020.
  • You provided more than half of their financial support.

When you add someone as a dependent, we'll ask a series of questions to make sure you can claim them. There may be other tax benefits you can get when you claim a dependent.

Level 15
Feb 14, 2021 5:06:27 PM

You do not meet the full-time student test if you were not enrolled as a full-time student for at least one day of five different months. That could be the spring semester from January to May, or it could be January and February, and then summer classes or the beginning of the fall semester. But if you were not enrolled full-time for at least part of five months, you do not meet that test.

 

If you do not meet the full-time student test and you are over age 18, then the only other way that your parent could claim you as a dependent is if they paid more than half your financial support and your taxable income for the year was less than $4300.