Solved
Step daughter and girlfriend
My girlfriend has a daughter before me and we have two kids together. She's a stay at home mom so she doesn't have a w2. I support the house. How would I go about claiming her and her daughter.
By the way, Turbotax has a dependent interview that will do all this for you if you read and answer the questions carefully for each possible dependent.
Your children together can be your dependent, no problem. This is a type called "qualifying child" dependent.
Your girlfriend can be your dependent if:
1. she lived with you all 365 days of the year
2. her gross taxable income is less than $5400
3. she does not file a tax return, or only files a tax return to claim a refund of withholding and claims no other dependents, credits or deductions.
4. You pay more than half her total support.
This is a type of dependent called "qualifying relative."
Your girlfriend's child can be your qualifying relative dependent if:
1. she lived with you all 365 days of the year
2. her gross taxable income is less than $5400
3. she does not file a tax return, or only files a tax return to claim a refund of withholding and claims no other dependents, credits or deductions.
4. You pay more than half her total support.
5. No other blood relative qualifies to claim her as a dependent ahead of you.
Test 5 is usually simple but can get tricky. If the child lives in your home all year, the only blood relative who could claim her would be a relative who also lived in the home with your family. For example, if you share the home with your girlfriend's mother, grandmother, brother or sister, they may be able to claim the child ahead of you.
