If I am 20 years old and have been financially independent for 3 years how can my parent still claim me as a dependent?

[xmasbaby0]

Please explain.  Are you a full-time student?  Do your parents pay for over half your support?  If you are not a student, did you have over $4300 of income in 2020?

Here are the criteria to be a qualifying child or qualifying relative-----do you meet these or not?

WHO CAN I CLAIM AS A DEPENDENT?

You can claim a child, relative, friend, fiance (etc.) as a dependent on your 2019 taxes as long as they meet the following requirements:

Qualifying child

• They are related to you.

• They cannot be claimed as a dependent by someone else.

• They are a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or   Mexican resident.

• They are not filing a joint return with their spouse.

• They are under the age of 19 (or 24 for full-time students).

• No age limit for permanently and totally disabled children

  •      They live with you for more than half the year (exceptions apply).

Qualifying relative

• They don't have to be related to you (despite the name).

• They cannot be claimed as a dependent by someone else.

• They are a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.

• They are not filing a joint return with their spouse.

• They lived with you the entire year.

• They made less than $4300  (not counting Social Security)

• You provided more than half of their financial support. More info

When you add someone as a dependent, we'll ask a series of questions to make sure you can claim them.

Related Information:

• Does a dependent have to live with me?

• What does "financially support another person" mean?

• Can I claim a newborn baby?

[zoemac12]

I do not attend school. I have been supporting myself since I was 17 years old. My parents do not support me in any way and my mother still claims me as a depended. She got my first stimulus check, and I did not receive the second $600 check. I am now 20 years old and she is still claiming me, I asked her not to. 

[NCperson]

have you been clicking that checkmark saying 'I can be claimed by someone else' on your prior tax returns? if yes, why? if no,  that is fine. 

when you file your 2020 tax return, there is a 'settle up' section for the stimulus.  The money you are due will show up on Line 30. 

ps - your mother did not get your first stimulus check in the amount of $500 (you are not suggesting she cashed a check made out to you, right?) . Dependents over the age of 16 are not eligible. 

[xmasbaby0]

Okay---first of all -- your mother did not "get" your stimulus check.  Parents do not receive stimulus money for children older than 16.

However, if you are now 20 and you are not a full time student and had over $4300 of income in 2020 you cannot be claimed as anyone else's dependent.   If your mother claims you again incorrectly and your own e-file is rejected, then print sign and mail your own tax return.  The IRS will hand-process it and sort out who should/should not have claimed you.  If your mom got any credits for claiming you she will be required to repay them to the IRS with penalties.

The stimulus check is an advance on a credit you can receive on your 2020 tax return.  If something went wrong or you did not get the stimulus check this year, you can get it when you file your 2020 return in early 2021—if you are eligible.It will end up on line 30 of your 2020 Form 1040.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/economic-impact-payment-information-center-topic-j-reconciling-on-your-...

https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/coronavirus-tax-relief-and-economic-impact-payments-for-individuals-...

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-topics/help/how-will-the-stimulus-package-impact-me/00/1393859

We know that the IRS is already revising the 2020 Form 1040 to include the 2nd stimulus, but that change will entail a lot of re-programing at the IRS and for the tax software programs.  It may be at least a month — or longer— before the forms are changed.  Do NOT be in a hurry to file your 2020 tax return until more is known. Give some extra time to the IRS and the software programmers so that the software can handle the new 2nd stimulus, so that you can get it all by filing ONE time.  It is never a good idea to file too early; filing your 2020 return too soon may result in a lot of extra confusion that can be avoided if you wait and file a little later.