My son grandmother claim him a two years ago and last year I couldn’t claim him

[Carl]

What is your question, as it relates to your 2017 taxes? Or are you completing a tax return for a prior year maybe?

[carmeisha23]

My son grandmother filed him in 2016 , 2017 I tired to file him and it wouldn’t let me claim him and they didn’t say why it just wouldn’t let me claim him

[Carl]

Most likely is because you made the most common mistake many make. Work through the dependent information again under the Personal Info tab and pay *close* attention to that support question. You probably incorrectly answered is YES, when you should have answered it NO. The question is asking if "THE DEPENDENT" provided more than half of their OWN SUPPORT. You have to answer that question NO.

[carmeisha23]

I myself didn’t repair my tax return I with to a tax repairer and she inform me that the irs wouldn’t let me claim him it never showed why and I didn’t use TurboTax

[Carl]

Can't help with that unfortunately. But if you're filing your 2017 return yourself with TurboTax, we can help you figure it out as to why you can't claim him, and/or make things right so you can claim him, if he does in fact, qualify as your dependent of course.

[carmeisha23]

What would make him not qualify as a dependent for me , if you can give me a example

[Carl]

It's not what disqualifies him. It's what *qualifies* him as your dependent.
Under the age of 19 on Dec 31 of the tax year
Lived in your household for every day of the entire year (temporary absences for things like school, count as living with you)
You provided more than 50% of his support for the entire tax year.
Is all the above true?

[VolvoGirl]

If it was because someone else had already claimed him first, it won't let you efile.  But if you were qualified to claim him you can always print and mail your return and let the IRS determine who can claim him.  So if your return rejects just print and mail it this time.  

The tax preparer might have been wrong.  Or just was telling you the efile rejected so to take him off to make it go through.  You could have mailed it instead.  In fact you might be able to amend that return and add him to it.

[carmeisha23]

I can’t e file because of identity theft so I had to mail it in instead and the person who did it knew of that , and the system still wouldn’t let me claim him , maybe I do have to amend my return

[Hal_Al · Accepted solution]

Yes, you can claim your child, this year, if you meet the rules. Each year stands alone. The fact that couldn't or didn't claim him the last 2 years does not prevent you from claiming him this year.

A separate issue is: should you file an amended 2016 return claiming your child. A live person told you no, and you didn't ask why? Here are the rules:

A child of a taxpayer can still be a “Qualifying Child” (QC) dependent, regardless of his/her income, if:

1. He is under age 19, or under 24 if a full time student for at least 5 months of the year, or is totally & permanently disabled

2. He did not provide more than 1/2 his own support. Scholarships are considered third party support and not as support provided by the student.

3. He lived with the parent (including temporary absences such as away at school) for more than half the year

4. You can not be somebody else’s dependent and still claim a dependent of your own.