I am 17 and I got my first w-2 form & will file my own income tax, can my mom still claim me as a dependent on her income tax?

[kimmmeow4w]

I am 17 years old, I have been working at Panda Express for about 9 months now. I've received my first W-2 form and will be filing my own tax. But can my mom still claim me as a dependent on her income tax?

[nicholas-smeelie]

If you use turbotax you will be promoted to a question about whether or not someone else can claim you as a dependent.  If you receive more than half of your financial support from your mother then the answer should be yes.  She will receive $1000.00 for the child tax credit for you.  If you support yourself you need to tell your mother not to claim you as a dependent because your refund may be higher if you are NOT considered a dependent.  However, if you received more than half of your financial support from your mother during 2015 or if your mother has a written or verbal custody agreement saying she can claim you then she is legally entitled to claim you.  Bottom line: if she claims you or anyone else claims you as a dependent, you will have to say so on your tax return but you can still file your own return

[macuser_22]

@nicholas.smeelie - That is wrong on 2 counts.

1st - "If you receive more than half of your financial support from your mother then the answer should be yes" is wrong.  the support test went away years ago.  The current test is "did the child provide more than half of his/her *own* support - if not, it does not matter where the support came from.

2nd - "She will receive $1000.00 for the child tax credit for you" is also incorrect.  The poster said "I am 17".  Child tax credit must be 16 or younger.  It is not known from the question if the poster turned 17 in 2015 or 2016, but if in 2015, then the child tax credit cannot be claimed.

[SweetieJean]

macuser is correct.

[xmasbaby0]

Yes,indeed he is correct.

[xmasbaby0 · Accepted solution]

Yes, your mom can still claim you on her own return.  You can file a return for yourself.  Make sure that you say that you can be claimed as someone else's dependent.

[kimmmeow4w]

Do I also press Yes to the question: "And this person will claim me in their 2015 tax return?"

[kimmmeow4w]

If ever my mom does claim me as a dependent, how much more will she possibly get? Thank you for answering my questions! It is my first time and its a great help that you're helping me.

[xmasbaby0]

Answer "yes" to "And this person will claim me..."  The answer you received from another person was filled with extraneous information that does not necessarily apply to your situation.

[kimmmeow4w]

Thank you so much. So until what age can i still be a dependent? From what i understood from the other person was that if i received at least $1000 on my income tax, i can not be a dependent. but i doubt that i will get $1000 because i only worked for 9 mnths so far.

[kimmmeow4w]

Im sorry if i am asking easy questions and thank you for taking your time. it is my first time thats why.

[xmasbaby0]

Your mom can claim you as a dependent until you are 19, or until you are 24 if you become a full-time college student.  You do not have a limit of earning $1000.

[nicholas-smeelie]

If you receive more than half your support then you are a dependent.  I am not a lawyer and the laws vary state to state but if you are emancipated by a judge from your parents and support yourself financially then you do not legally have to declare that someone claims you as a dependent.  If you are getting more than half your support from someone else and claim that you don't it is tax fraud.  If you support yourself and are emancipated and someone claims you as a dependent then THEY are committing tax fraud.  A) Do you support yourself more than 50 percent and are emancipated ?  B) Does no one claim you as a dependent?  If you answer no to either of these then you can still file but on your tax return you have to specify that someone can claim you as a dependent

[macuser_22]

Just to clarify - it is *under 19* or *under 24*,  i.e. not older than 18 (or 23 if a full time student) at the end of the tax year.

[kimmmeow4w]

I live in Hawaii. What do you mean if i am emancipated by a judge from my parents? I dont think i support myself financially. And i dont think i support myself more than 50% and is emancipated.