I receive FAFSA for school through my parents taxes but I don't live with them. Can they still claim me as a dependent in their taxes?

Living away at school is only considered to be a "temporary absence" so if you meet the other criteria to be claimed as a dependent, it does not matter whether you live at home with them.   Are you under the age of 24?  A full-time student?   If so---you can be claimed as a qualifying child on their tax return and they are the ones who get the education credit on their tax return.

 

Even if you are being claimed as a dependent you can still file your own tax return to seek a refund of tax that was withheld ---but you must say on your own return that you can be claimed as someone else's dependent.

 

 

This is the criteria your parents use:

 

WHO CAN I CLAIM AS A DEPENDENT?

 

You can claim a child, relative, friend, or fiancé (etc.) as a dependent on your 2023 taxes as long as they meet the following requirements:

Qualifying child

• They're related to you.
• They aren't claimed as a dependent by someone else.
• They're a U.S. 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).

• 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.

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're 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 (exceptions apply).
• They made less than $4,700 in 2023.
• You provided more than half of their financial support.

I am 19, I am not a full time student, and I don't live at school. Can they still claim me? 

If you were 19 at the end of 2023, and were not not full-time student, then you can only be claimed as a qualified relative if you had less than $4700 of income  (not counting Social Security).  If you had more than $4700 of income, you cannot be claimed as anyone else's dependent.

Thank you so much! Where can I go to reference towards this subject? 

Try this IRS tool --- and answer the questions as if you are the parent

 

IRS interview to help determine who can be claimed:

https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/who-can-i-claim-as-a-dependent