Can I count my spouse as a dependent if she requires full time support due to illness?

quilbil · ‎February 13, 2025

I am her primary caregiver, with a few hours/week of paid outside support.

xmasbaby0

No. A spouse is never claimed as a dependent. File a joint return. When you file a joint return you get the standard deduction for a married couple even if one spouse has little or no income. Your standard deduction----the amount of income that is "tax free" for a joint return is $29.200 + $1550 for each spouse 65 or older.

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

SharonD007

No, your spouse is never your dependent for tax purposes. You can use the filing status Married Filing Jointly even if you spouse has no income.

For additional information, review the TurboTax articles Should You and Your Spouse File Jointly or Separately?

**Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post
**Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"

Expert does your taxes

Do it yourself

Resources

Support

Can I count my spouse as a dependent if she requires full time support due to illness?