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New Member
posted Jun 5, 2019 5:38:15 PM

Can my parent claim me as a dependent at 26 years old?

I was a full time student and my parents were paying for my tuition and housing.

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19 Replies
Level 9
Jun 5, 2019 5:38:17 PM

If your gross income was less than $4050, you do not file a joint return (if married) and they provided more than half of your return they can claim you as a dependent.

New Member
Jun 5, 2019 5:38:18 PM

same questions, but what if the 27 year old had investment income of $1,451

Level 15
Jun 5, 2019 5:38:19 PM

Investment income is part of the $4050 limit.  So, if the $1451 is his only income, he can still be his parent's dependent if he does not file a joint return (if married) and they provided more than half of his support.

Don't confuse the dependent support test ($4050) with the dependent filing requirement. A dependent must file a tax return if he has more than $1050 of investment income; but he can still be a dependent, because his income is less than $4050.

Level 9
Jun 5, 2019 5:38:20 PM

If your gross income was less than $4050, you do not file a joint return (if married) and they provided more than half of your return they can claim you as a dependent.

Level 15
Jun 5, 2019 5:38:22 PM

There are two types of dependents, "Qualifying Children"(QC) and standard ("Qualifying Relative" in IRS parlance even though they don't have to actually be related). There is no income limit for a QC but there is an age limit, a relationship test and a residence test. Only a QC qualifies the taxpayer for the Earned Income Credit.

A child of a taxpayer can still be a “Qualifying Child” (QC) dependent, regardless of his/her income, if he is under age 19, or under 24 if a full time student for at least 5 months of the year, or is totally & permanently disabled.

After age 23, the income test kicks in. 

The 6 tests for claiming a qualifying relative dependent:

1. Closely Related OR live with the taxpayer ALL year

2. His/her gross taxable income for the year must be less than $4,050 (2016)

3. The taxpayer must have provided more than 1/2 his support

In either case:

4. He must be a US citizen or resident of the US, Canada or Mexico

5. He must not file a joint return with his spouse or be claiming a dependent of his own

6. He must not be the qualifying child of another taxpayer

Returning Member
Feb 16, 2020 12:28:14 PM

Can I claim my child if she is 26, was in school for at least half time, lived with me all year, and made less than the $4050 last year?

Level 15
Feb 16, 2020 12:29:49 PM


@crtmoney wrote:

Can I claim my child if she is 26, was in school for at least half time, lived with me all year, and made less than the $4050 last year?


You should be able to claim her as your dependent under the Qualifying Relative rules if she meets all the requirements.

 

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 $4,200 (social security does not count) in 2019
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.

Returning Member
Feb 16, 2020 12:36:22 PM

Thank you! Why would I claim her as a qualifying relative instead of a qualifying child?

Level 15
Feb 16, 2020 12:38:30 PM


@crtmoney wrote:

Thank you! Why would I claim her as a qualifying relative instead of a qualifying child?


To be a Qualifying Child the dependent must either be under the age of 19 or under the age of 24 and a full time student.  If not a Qualifying Child then they can only be a dependent under the Qualifying Relative rules.

Returning Member
Feb 16, 2020 12:41:20 PM

Ok, thank you. Now on her taxes, would she put she can be claimed as a dependent or a qualifying relative? Just making sure.

Level 15
Feb 16, 2020 12:44:09 PM


@crtmoney wrote:

Ok, thank you. Now on her taxes, would she put she can be claimed as a dependent or a qualifying relative? Just making sure.


She would indicate on her tax return that she can be claimed as a dependent.

Returning Member
Feb 16, 2020 12:46:36 PM

I appreciate your help & quick responses. Have a wonderful day!

New Member
Apr 11, 2020 1:15:26 AM

same question here, Can my parents claim me as a dependent? I'm 26 years old but im a full time student and have 2019 income is 4650

Expert Alumni
Apr 11, 2020 5:43:35 AM

No, your parents cannot claim you as a dependent.  You aren't a "qualifying child" because you are over age 24, and you aren't a "qualifying relative" because your gross income is more than $4,200.

 

See this link to Table 5 in IRS Publication 501 for more details.

 

@quynhtrang123

New Member
Apr 18, 2020 9:48:33 PM

Im 26 in 2019 i made 17k AGI can i be claimed as a dependent i live with my parents i pay them rent. If they have filed and said they can claim me as a dependent i had to say yes that i was claimed. Will it effect my stimulus check if i dont qualify?

Level 15
Apr 18, 2020 9:50:19 PM

No.  You are to old and made too much.

Level 15
Apr 18, 2020 9:52:28 PM

No they can not claim you.  You are over 23 and made more than $4,200.  You do not say you were claimed.  But you will have to mailed your return if they have filed.  

New Member
Apr 19, 2020 6:58:03 PM

Will it effect my parent if he already claimed me and got his return? Should i just put that i cant be claimed? Will he get in trouble? I think he got like $500 for claiming me.

Level 15
Apr 19, 2020 7:11:02 PM

You or somebody need to tell him to amend and pay back anything he received by improperly claiming you.

 

You would be filing a false tax return if you said that you can be claimed and you cannot.   In any event, the IRS is not stupid,  when  they match your SSN on the tax return you filed with the deductions he claimed, red flags will go up and you can both be audited.   That usually takes a year or two after filing and by then the interest and penalties for back tax keep growing.   He can pay back what he improperly claimed now or wait for a huge bill from the IRS in a year or two.