Tax Year Prior to 2020: What if my parents claimed me as a dependent in 2019 but I no longer live with them in 2020 can I still claim the stimulus check?

[george114]

I claimed my son and daughter-in-law on my 2019 taxes- This was before the covid and stimulus payments - What can I do if anything so they can get the 1200 each from last year 2019 and the 600 each this year - My son worked a little last year and filed taxes and claimed his wife - his wife owed child support and hey took the federal taxes that was due to them - my son is filing taxes this year also and is not gonna claim his wife so he will get his federal taxes back - if my son claimed his wife will child support take his federal taxes that is due and will child support take the stimulus payment if they get one - 

[DMarkM1]

First, if they cannot be claimed as dependents by you then you simply don't claim them on your tax return.  They will then file their tax returns to establish eligibility for the Recovery Rebate Credit based on their tax year 2020 returns.  Here is a link with more information on the Recovery Rebate Credit.  

Next,  There is currently no specific guidance on offsets for the Recovery Rebate Credit.  However, under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act signed into law on December 27, 2020 the second round of economic impact payments (stimulus) will not be offset for any reason. 

[Edited 1/25/2021, 2:45 EST] 

[Kmjo82]

So, I'm 38 and live with my mom and my kids.  She claimed all of us as head of household in 2019, since she pays the mortgage and utilities.  I receive money every month in child support, I pay her some each time.  Am I going to be able to file 2020 taxes on my own, without her claiming me so she doesn't get any refund for me, and be able to receive the economic impact payments?  I could really use it, as I'm sure most of us can.

[Zaldim]

My parents claimed me as a dependent in 2019 return. Would I be able to file a 1040 in 2020 and recover the $1200 first stimulus and $600 second stimulus even if my 2020 wages are below filing requirements?

[DMarkM1]

@Kmjo82 You can file a 2020 tax return to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit if no one can claim you as a dependent. Your mom does not have to claim you on her 2020 tax return.  She can still claim the children on her return and file head of household. 

@Zaldim You can file a 2020 tax return to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit if no one can claim you as a dependent, even if your income is below the filing threshold.    

Here is a link with more information on the Recovery Rebate Credit.  

Additionally, here are the requirements to be claimed as a dependent who is not a qualifying child from IRS Publication 501.  

1. The person can't be your qualifying child or the qualifying child of any other taxpayer.

2. The person either (a) must be related to you in one of the ways listed under Relatives who don't have to live with you , or (b) must live with you all year as a member of your household2 (and your relationship must not violate local law).

3. The person's gross income for the year must be less than $4,200.

4. You must provide more than half of the person's total support for the year.

[Kmjo82]

Is child support considered income then?  Because it did go up substantially in 2020, above $4200.

[VolvoGirl]

No.  You don't count child support.  If your income is less than 4,300 you can still be claimed as a dependent 

[Kmjo82]

I don't have any other income since I'm in the process of applying for disability.  So, just to be 100% sure, since I 'can' be (not just aren't) claimed, I can't file on my own and receive the economic impact payment for 2020?  Now, if/when my disability is approved, is that considered income?  If so, if it totaled more than the minimum ($4300ish) for 2021 I would then be able to file on my own for 2021 taxes and receive any economic impact payments paid this year?  Sorry for so many questions, I just want to be absolutely sure exactly what I can or can't do.  Thank you.

[JohnW152]

@Kmjo82  You can file a 2020 tax return to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit if no one can claim you as a dependent. 

You don’t need to worry about a minimum amount of income to file.  I believe the minimum you’re referring to is a minimum amount of income that requires you to file. 

Disability may or may not be considered taxable income to be included on your return.  Please see the TurboTax article Is disability income taxable?. 

The IRS has provided a Recovery Rebate Credit Worksheet on page 59 of its Instructions for Forms 1040 and 1040-SR to help you see if and how much you might qualify for.  There are also helpful calculators online.

[Edited 1/28/2021 | 7:37 am pst]

[Kmjo82]

That didn't 100% answer what I was asking.  First, aren't the economic impact payments technically an advance on a 2020 extra (non taxable I think) tax credit?  They made those advance 'stimulus' payments by guestimating who is/would be eligible based on IRS' most recent tax records on file.  So, if someone was claimed in 2019, that doesn't necessarily mean they can or will be for 2020.  I am 38, I live with my mom and my kids, I do not work, I am in the process of applying for disability, I received more than $4300 in child support in 2020 (of which I pay my mom $200-300 monthly) I have no other sorce of income.  For 2019 taxes, she filed as head of household and claimed me and the kids.  My questions are since my only income is child support, 1. That can't be considered income?  2. If child support can't be considered income (with no other income) that means I 'can' be claimed?  3. If I technically 'can' be claimed but are not claimed, am I able to file on my own (not claimed by anyone else) and receive the rebate recovery credit?  

[JamesG1]

Child support is not considered taxable income.  See this TurboTax Help.

Your mother is likely to claim you as a qualifying relative unless she can claim you as a qualifying child.  One of the requirements of a qualifying child is:

Must be under age 19 or under 24 and a full-time student for at least 5 months. They can be any age if they are totally and permanently disabled.

I do not know whether this applies to your situation.  You and your mother would know the answer to that question.

The tests for a qualifying relative are: 

• Qualifying Child: They are not the “qualifying child” of another taxpayer or your “qualifying child.”
• Gross Income: The dependent being claimed earns less than $4,300 in 2020.
• Total Support: You provide more than half of the total support for the year.
• Member of Household or Relationship: The person (a friend, girlfriend, non-blood relative) must live with you all year as a member of your household or be related to you.

If you are not eligible to be claimed by your mother as a qualifying child on your mother’s tax return, your mother may only claim you as a qualifying relative on her tax return. 

If she may only consider you as a qualifying relative, there appear to no issues that would bar you from filing a 2020 Federal tax return.

See also this and this TurboTax Help.

[ReadyPlayer1]

I currently having the same issue. I’m 20 y/o, have been working since 16-17 & I stay with my mother. I want to file my taxes this year (2021) and for the previous year(s) I missed. I left school in mid 2019 (Age 18-19) & have been full time since. Can my mother file me as dependent? & if so can I challenge that? I wish to use the money to move out but by taking my return I’m forced to stay here. 

[KathrynG3]

It depends on the rest of your circumstances. To confirm you are no longer a dependent, see: Who can I claim as my dependent?  To claim prior years, first confirm you need to file and whether you were claimed as a dependent. For more details, check out How do I prepare a prior year tax return?

To check if you would qualify for the Recovery Rebate Credit, tell TurboTax that you have not received any payments. This is done before the Federal Review and after Other Tax Situations.

You need to be at the end of Other Tax Situations, to see it. To get there in TurboTax, follow these steps:

• In your return, click the Other Tax Situations tab toward the top of the page
• Scroll down to the end and click Let's keep going
• At Let's make sure you got the right stimulus amount, click Continue
• Be sure to report an amount for each of the stimulus payments as received. If the particular payment was not received at all, enter 0 and click Continue. 

To check other IRS Resources, see: Questions and Answers about the Second Economic Impact Payment which is still getting updates. 

To check your payment status with the IRS, go to: Get My Payment Link. 

[ThisIsMyTaxAccount]

I received the first $1200 stimulus based on my 2018 taxes because I hadn't yet filed 2019. My parents then filed me as a dependent in their 2019 taxes for the first time in years. I was 27, but unemployed so I didn't file 2019 because I had no earnings.

I did not get the second $600 stimulus because I was ineligible due to being a dependent. I'm pretty sure this is correct. If I understand it my parents didn't get my stimulus, but it was cheaper for them to claim me. Their tax guy didn't tell them how much they would save, yet they blindly accepted even knowing there was another stimulus of unknown amount almost guaranteed... Doing some research I came across the number $1100 for a deduction based on my situation (minimum standard deduction for non child dependent). Is it safe to assume that is how much they saved from claiming me as dependent?

The problem comes when I'm filling out my 2020 taxes when I get to the "Let's make sure you got the right stimulus amount" section during Federal Review. I correctly entered 1200 for the first round and 0 for the second. It then shows I have a credit of $600. Am I actually eligible to get that, or is it wrongly showing that because it didn't ask if I had been a dependent in 2019? Or do I get the $600 because it passed in late 2020 and 2019 was my dependent year? Could I be forced to repay the first $1200 stimulus because that was based on 2019, even though covid only started in the USA in 2020?

Assuming it is wrong (although as with all my assumptions, please still confirm) if I leave it at that will the IRS get a red flag and send me a letter making me amend it, or would they just see I was a dependent and not add the $600? If I am eligible, would my parents then owe the IRS the $1100 deduction? If I'm not actually supposed to get a $600 credit the only way I can think to fix it would be lying in that section and claiming I had already received the $600. The last thing I want to do is lie on my taxes though so that can't be the only way. What do I do?

One last issue in regards to the third stimulus this time. I am claiming independent for 2020. If I put that I'm not eligible to be claimed as a dependent and my parents do not claim me again, would I be correct in assuming I will be eligible for the third stimulus since I saw it is based on the 2020 tax year?

I plan on filing right away, but is there a time window that could cause me to lose it? Like if the stimulus bill somehow passes congress before 2020 taxes are processed could it go based off of 2019 and think I am still a dependent making me ineligible again? If the $600 credit situation forces me to amend delaying it past the third bills passing could that screw me in the same way? Or could I use the Recovery Rebate Credit thing in those situations and have it update my taxes to 2020 so I can get it?

Sorry for such a long message with so many questions, but it has been giving me massive anxiety. I would greatly appreciate anyone who could answer as many of my questions as possible. If this should be it's own thread I apologize and will post a new one, but it seems to fit the topic.

[Mandi116]

My parents claimed me in as a dependent on their taxes for 2019, but didn't claim me on their taxes for 2020. I have $0 income, can I file a return and receive the stimulus?