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rob52849
New Member

Can we claim our 29 year old as dependent because we were primary support for her last year through grad school?

She made less than $1000 last year. We answered Turbo Tax questions correctly. Turbo Tax did not say we could not claim her.

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3 Replies
SandraM
New Member

Can we claim our 29 year old as dependent because we were primary support for her last year through grad school?

If she can meet the following requirements as a qualifying relative, then she can be claimed as a dependent on your tax return.

You can claim a child, relative, friend, fiance (etc.) as a dependent on your 2017 taxes as long as they meet the following requirements:

Qualifying child

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

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 are 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 $4,050 in 2017.
  • You provided more than half of their financial support. More info

When you add someone as a dependent, we'll ask a series of questions to make sure you can claim them.

[3.12.18|1:34 PM]

detailinsp
Returning Member

Can we claim our 29 year old as dependent because we were primary support for her last year through grad school?

I have the exact same situation and Turbo tax says we can claim our daughter too. But when I read what the IRS says about having an age limit or being disabled, I'm not so sure. Is Turbo Tax wrong?

Can we claim our 29 year old as dependent because we were primary support for her last year through grad school?


@detailinsp wrote:

I have the exact same situation and Turbo tax says we can claim our daughter too. But when I read what the IRS says about having an age limit or being disabled, I'm not so sure. Is Turbo Tax wrong?


The age limit for a full time student is no older then 23.    No age limit for disabled that meets the IRS definition of disabled.

 

The IRS defines disabled this way:

Permanent and total disability.

You have a permanent and total disability if you can't engage in any substantial gainful activity because of your physical or mental condition. A qualified physician must certify that the condition has lasted or can be expected to last continuously for 12 months or more, or that the condition can be expected to result in death.
Substantial gainful activity.

Substantial gainful activity is the performance of significant duties over a reasonable period of time while working for pay or profit, or in work generally done for pay or profit. Full-time work (or part-time work done at your employer's convenience) in a competitive work situation for at least the minimum wage conclusively shows that you are able to engage in substantial gainful activity.

Claiming disabled has no tax benefit unless child care was necessary so that you could work that normally cuts off after age 12, but is allowed if the care is necessary for an older disabled child.

It also allows claiming a Qualified Child as a dependent beyond the age of 18 and would do nothing for a younger child.

 

(Most students in grad school probably can find substantial gainful employment and would not qualify or they would not be in grad school.)

**Disclaimer: This post is for discussion purposes only and is NOT tax advice. The author takes no responsibility for the accuracy of any information in this post.**
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