Tax Year 2016: Joined military last year. Away for 6 months. Lived with parents but paid for most of my expenses does this count as independent or dependent?

[KarenL2]

It sounds like you are an independent.  For you to be their dependent, you would have had to earn less than $4,050 for the year, or be a full-time student under age 24.  Also, they would have had to pay for over half of your support for the year.

Just FYI - Here are some of the basic rules for your parents to claim you:

• Have been a citizen or resident of the United States, or a resident of Canada or Mexico.
• Did not file a joint income tax return with anyone else.
• Received more than half his or her support from you. 
• Had less than $4,050 of income for the entire year. (Generally that amount does not include Social Security benefits.)

To qualify as a dependent child, the child must live with you more than half of the year and be under age 19 at the end of 2016, or under age 24 if a full-time student. That's defined as attending school full time for at least part of five calendar months of the year -- whether at home or away at school.

If your child provides more than half of his or her own support, you can't claim the child as a dependent.