It sounds like you are an independent. For you to be their dependent, you would have had to earn less than $4,050 for the year, or be a full-time student under age 24. Also, they would have had to pay for over half of your support for the year.
Just FYI - Here are some of the basic rules for your parents to claim you:
- Have been a citizen or resident of the
United States, or a resident of Canada or Mexico.
- Did not file a joint income tax return with
anyone else.
- Received more than half his or her support from
you.
- Had less than $4,050 of income for the
entire year. (Generally that amount does
not include Social Security benefits.)
To qualify as a dependent child, the child must live with you more than half of the year and be under age 19 at the end of 2016, or under age 24 if a full-time student. That's defined as attending school full time for at least part of five calendar months of the year -- whether at home or away at school.
If your child provides more than half of his or her own support, you can't claim the child as a dependent.
