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My 21 year old son is a full time student but he made more than $5,050 in 2024 (around $7,000). Can I still claim him as a dependent?

My wife and I are filing jointly.
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My 21 year old son is a full time student but he made more than $5,050 in 2024 (around $7,000). Can I still claim him as a dependent?

Yes if he otherwise meets the criteria for qualifying child, the "over $5050" does not apply to him.  You can claim him, and he can file his own return but must say on his return that someone else can claim him as a dependent.

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.

 

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

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My 21 year old son is a full time student but he made more than $5,050 in 2024 (around $7,000). Can I still claim him 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 might also want to use free software from the IRS Free File versions:

https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

View solution in original post

14 Replies

My 21 year old son is a full time student but he made more than $5,050 in 2024 (around $7,000). Can I still claim him as a dependent?

Yes if he otherwise meets the criteria for qualifying child, the "over $5050" does not apply to him.  You can claim him, and he can file his own return but must say on his return that someone else can claim him as a dependent.

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.

 

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**
MindyB
Employee Tax Expert

My 21 year old son is a full time student but he made more than $5,050 in 2024 (around $7,000). Can I still claim him as a dependent?

Yes, as long as you provided more than half his support and he lived with you for more than half the year (exceptions apply for temporary absences such as at school).

 

Here is an article with more information on claiming dependents: Rules for Claiming Dependents on Taxes

 

My 21 year old son is a full time student but he made more than $5,050 in 2024 (around $7,000). Can I still claim him 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 might also want to use free software from the IRS Free File versions:

https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

My 21 year old son is a full time student but he made more than $5,050 in 2024 (around $7,000). Can I still claim him as a dependent?

I have the same question! Don't know how to fix it though.  My daughter is a full time college student but made over $5050. I don't see how or where it will let me claim her as a dependent.  It asks if she made over $5050 and I chose YES. Then it says she doesn't qualify as a dependent. 

I keep seeing on line that this rule doesn't apply for her, yet I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. 

MonikaK1
Employee Tax Expert

My 21 year old son is a full time student but he made more than $5,050 in 2024 (around $7,000). Can I still claim him as a dependent?

Try going back through the questionnaire in the Personal Info section. Make sure you have the dependent's date of birth entered correctly. It also asks how much of the year the dependent lived with you and that if they were just away in college, to enter "the whole year". If they are under age 24, a full-time student, they lived with you except when away at college, and you provided over half of their support, they qualify as your dependent.

 

See this TurboTax tips article and this IRS webpage for more information.

 

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My 21 year old son is a full time student but he made more than $5,050 in 2024 (around $7,000). Can I still claim him as a dependent?

It’s doing the same thing to me. I deleted her and started over answering all questions correctly. Turbo tax has a bug. I’ll use another company. This has wasted my time long enough.  My child is 20, full time student and lives with me. It won’t stop asking the income question. This stuff makes me lose faith in your company. 

My 21 year old son is a full time student but he made more than $5,050 in 2024 (around $7,000). Can I still claim him as a dependent?

So I was having this same thing happen too. On the next screen that lists "Less common situations for (your kid's name here)" there should be an option to check "Was a full-time student in 2024" No idea why this is in the less common section. When I selected this, the numbers corrected to what they should be. This checkbox SHOULD be in the previous section so it doesn't get lost!

JWM19
New Member

My 21 year old son is a full time student but he made more than $5,050 in 2024 (around $7,000). Can I still claim him as a dependent?

THANK YOU!!  I hope the others see your response too!  All set now, thanks to your tip that I needed to check full-time college student on next page! 🙂

My 21 year old son is a full time student but he made more than $5,050 in 2024 (around $7,000). Can I still claim him as a dependent?

You bet! I am not sure why this option is under the uncommon part. It seems to me to be extremely common!

My 21 year old son is a full time student but he made more than $5,050 in 2024 (around $7,000). Can I still claim him as a dependent?

I just completed my return, and Turbo Tax did not allow me to claim my child as a dependent since they made more than $5050 even though they met all the requirements for being a full-time student.

My 21 year old son is a full time student but he made more than $5,050 in 2024 (around $7,000). Can I still claim him as a dependent?

@richleigh01 Hope you have not e-filed yet.   Go back through MY INFO.  We have been seeing some users who are not noticing the screen in MY INFO that is titled "Less Common Situations" ---- and that is where you need to click that he was a student.   

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

My 21 year old son is a full time student but he made more than $5,050 in 2024 (around $7,000). Can I still claim him as a dependent?

Under their info I had entered them as a full time student. I have already filed as of yesterday. I suppose too late for some kind of addendum ?

My 21 year old son is a full time student but he made more than $5,050 in 2024 (around $7,000). Can I still claim him as a dependent?

You cannot change or add anything on the return that you just e-filed, nor can you stop it.  It is too late, just like when you put an envelope in a US mailbox on the corner.  The IRS does not allow you to take it back.

 

If you left out a W-2, a 1099G, or a dependent, or a 1099 etc…DO NOT change your return while it is “pending.”  The changes will go nowhere.

 

Now you have to wait until the IRS either rejects or accepts your return.  If your return is rejected, you will be able to go into your account and make the necessary changes to your tax return and re-submit your return. 

 

 If the IRS accepts your return, however, then you have to wait longer until it has been fully processed and you have received your refund.  THEN you can prepare an amended tax return and e-file or mail  it in. You have to be able to work from that return exactly the way it was when it was e-filed originally.  You will need to use a form called a 1040X.

 

  Meanwhile, DO NOT go in and start changing anything on your return in the system, or you will make a mess for yourself.  Sit tight and wait until you see what the IRS does with the return you just e-filed

 

The Form 1040X you might need becomes available in mid February,  But wait until your return has been processed.

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

My 21 year old son is a full time student but he made more than $5,050 in 2024 (around $7,000). Can I still claim him as a dependent?

Thank you for all of your input and knowledge. Appreciate it. 

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