It depends. Regardless of how much they make, as long as
they are your dependent, under the age of 19, and did not provide for more than 50% of their support
then you still qualify to claim them on your return. Remember, if in college, whether you can claim them or not
is based on their relationship and ability to support themselves, not on you
providing more than half of their support.
If they provided for more than 50% of their own support, then you would not qualify. Do not include grant, scholarships and
student loan to determine if they provided more than half their support. If he is not in college to learn more about claiming dependents on
your return please read the article; Rules
For Claiming A Dependent On Your Tax Return. Also, if he is in college
please review the rules in IRS
Publication 970, tax benefits for education.
Summarized, it
states that;
If the student and
they qualify as your dependent;
Is under the age of
24 on Dec 31 of the tax year and:
Is enrolled in an
undergraduate program at an accredited institution and:
Is enrolled as at
least a half time student for one academic semester that begins during the tax
year, (each institution has their own definition of a half time student) and: the STUDENT did NOT
provide more that 50% of the STUDENT’S
support (scholarships/grants received by the student do not count as the student providing their own
support)
Then:
You can claim the
student as a dependent on the parent's tax return and:
You will claim all
scholarships, grants, tuition payments, and the student's 1098-T on the
parent's tax return and:
You will claim all
educational tax credits that qualify.
If claiming the
student as a dependent, the student can still file their own tax return to try
and receive the taxes they paid for that year.
Whenever they are completing their taxes, the student must select the
option that states; 'I can be claimed on someone else's return' (see screen
shot from Turbo Tax online). Remember,
however, that who claims the student as a dependent will be the one who claim
qualified education expenses for education or credit.
