My son is a full time college student. He had a summer job and mde approx 4500.00 Can I still claim him as a dependant and does he have to file a tax return?

[santafedixie]

he applies for FAFSA  and I don't know if I can still claim him because he had a summer job. made approx. 4500.00. does he or should he file

[DoninGA · Accepted solution]

If your son is under the age of 24 and full time student, his income is not a factor on whether you can claim him as a dependent under the Qualifying Child rules.

To be a Qualifying Child -

1. The child must be your son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, stepsister, or a descendant of any of them.

2. The child must be (a) under age 19 at the end of the year, (b) under age 24 at the end of the year and a full-time student or (c) any age and permanently and totally disabled.

3. The child must have lived with you for more than half of the year. Temporary absences while away at college are considered living with you.

4. The child must not have provided more than half of his or her own support for the year.

5. If the child meets the rules to be a qualifying child of more than one person, you must be the person entitled to claim the child as a qualifying child. 

6. The child must be a U.S. citizen or U.S., Canada or Mexico resident for some portion of the year.

7. The child must be younger than you unless disabled.

[DoninGA]

If the dependent is a child under the age of 19 or a full time student under the age of 24 and has income from wages reported on a W-2 and the income reported is under $6,300, they do not have to file a federal tax return.

They can file if under the $6,300 amount to get a refund of the federal taxes withheld.  If they do file for either the refund or if the wages were greater then $6,300, make sure that they indicate on their tax returns that they can be claimed as a dependent on someone else's return.  Also, note that if the income was from self employment, reported on a form 1099-MISC or cash, and the amount is $400 or more they are required to file a return for the income received.

Your state may have other reporting requirements for a dependents income and may be less then the federal requirements, so check with your state tax department website for more information.

[santafedixie]

Super help,thanks so much!