My wife made $0 for the year of 2016can I file her and get some kind of pay back?

[skymello8732]

I worked all year have two son's and I paid for groceries through out the year 4months.

[SweetieJean · Accepted solution]

You file a Joint  return with her, and claim your sons on it.

What do you mean by "4 months?" Are you and your wife separated?

[VolvoGirl]

Yes just file a Joint return for both of you together and enter your sons as dependents.  You will get an exemption for you and one for her.  An exemption is the same as claiming a dependent.

[Hal_Al]

"get some kind of pay back"

Although there are refundable credits (government handouts) for claiming qualified child dependents, there are no such credits for adult dependents. An adult dependent ( "Qualifying Relative" in IRS parlance ) only gets you a $4000 deduction from income before tax is calculated. In addition, there are restrictions are on claiming a spouse as an actual dependent . So, you get the same benefit (and more) by filing a joint return with your spouse. This is allowed. even if the spouse has 0 income.

[skymello8732]

What about Food I paid for food without funding threw the government for most of the year for My wife and my two son's including milk for my youngest boy. Can I get a return on any of those

[Hal_Al]

You do not get a direct "return" for the expenses of supporting your family. You get it indirectly thru more dependent & spousal exemptions (deductions), bigger standard deduction and lower tax rates of filing a joint return.

[SweetieJean]

There is no Federal tax deduction or credit for buying food for your family.

[SweetieJean]

But see this:
<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://tax.idaho.gov/i-1043.cfm">https://tax.idaho.gov/i-1043.cfm</a>