Claiming my fiance as a dependent

[rshaw]

My fiance and i have lived together for 4 years, i never filed her as my dependent before, i didnt know it was even an option.  Based on income and number of months she has lived with me for past 4 years, can i file this year for past years where i failed to do so?

[xmasbaby0]

You cannot correct a previous year's tax return on your 2016 return.  You may be able to amend your tax returns for 2013, 2014, and 2015 IF your fiancé meets the requirements to be your dependent for those tax years.  Did your fiancé live with you all year during those years?  How much did your fiancé earn in each of the tax years?

[danaramirez2015]

We live together for 4 years she is sick so she can t work

[re2boys · Accepted solution]

IF she qualifies, you can go back and amend your 2015,2014, and 2013 tax returns.  However she would need to FIRST amend her tax returns (if she filed one) to remove claiming herself. Remember, she would have to lived with you the entire year, not provided more than half her own support, and have made less than the threshold amount (roughly in $4000 range) each year.  

All those criteria apply to 2016 also.

[Texas Roger]

Here are the qualifications for you to claim her as a non-related qualifying relative dependent:

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  taxable income for the year must be less than $4,050 in 2016. This limit increases slightly each year so it would have been lower in each prior year.

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, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico.