How do I claim my 19yr old daughter as dependent on my return, if she earned > $5,050 in 2024 BUT did not pay more than half of her college expenses?

[MayaD]

You can claim her as a dependent if she didn't pay for more than half of her support and she meets all requirements listed below:

Qualifying child:

• They're related to you.
• They aren't claimed as a dependent by someone else.
• They're a US citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.
• They aren’t filing a joint return with their spouse.
• They're under the age of 19 (or 24 for full-time students).
• There's no age limit for permanently and totally disabled children.
• They lived with you for more than half the year (exceptions apply).
• They didn't provide more than half of their own support for the year.

[Hal_Al · Accepted solution]

Q. How do I claim my 19yr old daughter as dependent on my return, if she earned > $5,050 in 2024?

A. In the personal info section, you say she lived with you all year (or at least 7 months) and that she was a full time student. You can claim her if she was a full time student and lived with you (being away at school still counts as living with you). 

There are two types of dependents, "Qualifying Children"(QC) and Other ("Qualifying Relative" in IRS parlance even though they don't have to actually be related). The $5050 income limit does not apply for a QC but there is an age limit, student status, a relationship test and residence test.

A child of a taxpayer can still be a “Qualifying Child” (QC) dependent, regardless of his/her income, if:

1. 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
2. He did not provide more than 1/2 his own support. Scholarships are excluded from the support calculation
3. He lived with the parent (including temporary absences such as away at school) for more than half the year

So, it doesn't matter how much he earned. What matters is how much he spent on support. Money he put into savings does not count as support he spent on himself.