How can I claim myself as a dependent for 1/2 year? My Mom claimed me for the other half.

[Bella]

I want to get back part of my California refund that was taken due to my mom's claiming me.

[DoninGA]

You do not claim yourself as a dependent.  If you have been claimed as a dependent by someone else, then on your tax return you have to select that you are a dependent.

If you have earned income from work and receive a W-2 with federal and/or state taxes withheld then you file a tax return and based on your entries you could get those taxes back as a tax refund.

Your parent cannot enter your earned income on their tax return.

[Vanessa A · Accepted solution]

You can't.  You are either a dependent for the entire year or you are not a dependent at all.  If you provided over half of your own support for the year, then your mother cannot claim you as a dependent.  She would need to amend her return and then take  you off as a dependent.  This generally does take a few months for them to process the amended returns.  

How old are you?  Do you live with your mother? Did you move out of the house part way through the year?

 If you do not meet the criteria below, your mom can not claim you.  If you do, then you cannot claim yourself for half of the year or any part of it if she already claimed you. 

Being a dependent does not stop you from claiming a refund of taxes you had withheld.  You would still file your own tax return if you had income and then if qualified, you would get a refund. 

The following criteria must be met to claim someone as a qualifying child:

• Your child (including adopted and foster children), your sibling, or a descendent of any of them.
• Age 18 or younger at the end of the tax year OR under 24 (and younger than you and your spouse) if they are a full-time student or any age if they are totally and permanently disabled
• Lived with you for more than 6 months during the tax year
• They did not provide more than half of their own support (social security does not count)
• They did not file a joint return, unless it was to claim a refund

To claim someone as a Qualifying Relative, they must be:

• Your child ( including step children, adoptive children and foster children) or a descendent of them
• Your sibling (including half siblings) or a child of your sibling or a sibling-in-law
• Your parent or grandparents, including step parents and in laws
• Any other person that lived with you for the entire tax year
• Not a qualifying child of another taxpayer
• Someone that you provided over half of their support for during the tax year
• Has less than $5,200 in income (not counting social security)