Can my spouse be considered a dependent?

[LinkBlader13]

Last year, I was told my wife couldn't be claimed, even though she had no income and a stay at home Mom. This year, looking to see if my new born daughter, born August 2016, was eligible, Turbo Tax mentions a "dependent spouse" under the five requirements for a qualifying relative. Has the law changed, or was I given wrong information last year?

[TomD8 · Accepted solution]

Your spouse is never considered your dependent. On a joint return, you may claim one exemption for yourself and one for your spouse. If you’re filing a separate return, you may claim the exemption for your spouse only if they had no gross income, are not filing a joint return, and were not the dependent of another taxpayer.
https://www.irs.gov/uac/six-important-facts-about-dependents-and-exemptions-1

The exemption amount for a spouse is the same as the exemption amount for a dependent: $4050 (for 2016).

Remember that you can still file a joint return even if one spouse had no income.  For most couples, filing jointly results in a lower tax bill than filing separately.