Can I claim my retired parents as dependents this year?

[Anonymous]

IRS asks "Did they file a joint return only to claim a refund of taxes withheld". They have no taxable income and normally don't file a return, but this year they need to file only to show a foreign bank account. They did file the FBAR, but they need to file something with the IRS.

[SeanE1]

You may claim your retired parents if all of the conditions to the IRS test below have been met:

Qualifying Relative

These 4 tests (all of them) will qualify a relative as a dependent:

• Not Qualifying Child: They are not your or another taxpayer’s “qualifying child” 
• Gross Income: Dependent has to earn less than $4,050 in 2016.
• Total Support: You provide more than half of the total support for the year.
• Member of Household or Relationship: The person (a friend, girlfriend, non blood relative) must live with you all year as a member of your household or be one of the relatives that doesn’t have to live with you (mother, father, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, stepmother, stepfather, your child, stepchild, foster child, adopted child, etc) Note: this list is not all inclusive.