In 2020, my son was full time student for 6 mths & working full time 6 mths. May I claim him as dependent? Can I add his income in my return (married jointly) for tax?

[rakumarji]

or should he fill his tax seperately?

[xmasbaby0]

You never add your child's wages into your own tax return.  You have not told us anything about his age---was he under the age of 24 at the end of 2020?   If so, you may still claim him as a dependent since he was a full-time student

IRS interview to help determine who can be claimed:

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

MY DEPENDENT HAD A JOB

If your dependent has a W-2 for his after-school job, summer job, etc. you do not include the information on your own return. You can still claim your child as a dependent on your own return.  He/she can file his own return for a refund of some of his withheld wages (he won’t get back anything for Social Security or Medicare), but MUST indicate on it that he can be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return.  (Supervise this closely or prepare it for him!)

If your dependent’s earnings were over $400 and were reported on a 1099Misc or 1099NEC then he must file a return and pay self-employment tax for Social Security and Medicare.  You may want to use this version of TT for that:

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900583-what-is-turbotax-free-file-program

[rakumarji]

My son is 23yrs old as of dec-2020. So, is it financially beneficial for him to fill his tax seperate OR may I add his W2 income in my W2 income (I am filing married fileing Jointly) and add him as my dependent. Then he may be in my tax bracket and less tax would be deducted. I believe, when he is filing tax hilself he would be paying more taxes compare to when I add his w2 income in my w2 income and fill tax? Pls advice which way is better. thx.

[DoninGA]

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@rakumarji wrote:

My son is 23yrs old as of dec-2020. So, is it financially beneficial for him to fill his tax seperate OR may I add his W2 income in my W2 income (I am filing married fileing Jointly) and add him as my dependent. Then he may be in my tax bracket and less tax would be deducted. I believe, when he is filing tax hilself he would be paying more taxes compare to when I add his w2 income in my w2 income and fill tax? Pls advice which way is better. thx.

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You cannot enter his earned income from wages reported on a W-2 on your tax return.  If you are claiming him as your dependent then he can file his own tax return and indicate on his return that he is being claimed as a dependent.