Why sign in to the Community?

  • Submit a question
  • Check your notifications
Sign in to the Community or Sign in to TurboTax and start working on your taxes
New Member
posted Jan 22, 2025 5:29:55 PM

where did the $5050 question come from when adding your dependents? I have never had this question before and why does it matter? I have a dependent that makes more?

I can't find an IRS publication that says there is this threshold anywhere, any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated

0 18 4178
1 Best answer
Level 15
Jan 22, 2025 5:37:42 PM

IRS Pub 501.  Chart on page 12 and page 19 Gross Income Test.  There may be other places too.  
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p501.pdf 

 

Each year the amount changes.  They have income less than

2024 $5,050

2023 $4,700

2022 $4,400

2021 $4,300

2020 $4,300

2019  $4,200

 

18 Replies
Level 15
Jan 22, 2025 5:32:57 PM

There are two kinds of dependents----qualifying child and qualifying relative.   For a qualifying relative, they cannot make more than $5050 -- not including Social Security.

 

WHO CAN I CLAIM AS A DEPENDENT?

 

 

You can claim a child, relative, friend, or fiancé (etc.) as a dependent on your 2024 tax return as long as they meet the following requirements:

 

Qualifying child

  • They're related to you.
  • They aren't claimed as a dependent by someone else.
  • They're a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.
  • They aren’t filing a joint return with their spouse.
  • They're under the age of 19 (or 24 for full-time students).
    • No age limit for permanently and totally disabled children.
  • They lived with you for more than half the year (exceptions apply).
  • They didn't provide more than half of their own support for the year.

Qualifying relative

  • They don't have to be related to you (despite the name).
  • They aren't claimed as a dependent by someone else.
  • They're a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.
  • They aren’t filing a joint return with their spouse.
  • They lived with you the entire year (exceptions apply).
  • They made less than $5050 in 2024.
  • You provided more than half of their financial support.

 

Level 15
Jan 22, 2025 5:35:06 PM

If you are entering a child as a dependent on your tax return and the child is under the age of 17, then you must have answered one of the questions concerning the dependent incorrectly if you are being asked about their gross income for the year.

Go back through and check your answers.  You should have indicated the dependent is your child, that they lived in your home for the whole year.  That they did NOT provide for over one-half of their own support.  That there was not another person in the home supporting them.  That there date of birth shows they are under the age of 17.  And that you did NOT check the box labeled "not valid for employment" when entering their Social Security number.

 

If the answers were all correct for the child then delete the child as a dependent and re-enter.

Level 15
Jan 22, 2025 5:37:42 PM

IRS Pub 501.  Chart on page 12 and page 19 Gross Income Test.  There may be other places too.  
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p501.pdf 

 

Each year the amount changes.  They have income less than

2024 $5,050

2023 $4,700

2022 $4,400

2021 $4,300

2020 $4,300

2019  $4,200

 

Returning Member
Jan 29, 2025 5:24:19 PM

It is asking me if my daughters made more than $5050??  I think there is a bug in the SW.  If I answer no, will it do the rest correctly or will is it somehow thinking my daughters are relatives, even though it clearly states I answered child??

Returning Member
Jan 29, 2025 5:31:24 PM

After confirming multiple times and still getting the $5050 question, I then completely deleted them and reentered everything and I am still getting asked if the made over $5050.  HELP!

 

Returning Member
Jan 29, 2025 5:33:21 PM

I have tried this (deleting and re-entering their information) and it still asks me if they made more than $5050.  Is the SW being updated soon to correct this issue?

Expert Alumni
Jan 29, 2025 5:33:57 PM

There is no bug in the system.

 

I am guessing that your daughter is making more than $5,050 and is older than 18, so this child cannot qualify to be a dependent as a child.

 

But in this case, the system may be trying to see if he/she can be a "qualifying relative" (also a dependent). A qualifying relative must make less than $5,050.

 

If this daughter made more than $5,050, then you must answer "yes".

 

Please read this section in Pub 17 on who can be a dependent.

Returning Member
Jan 29, 2025 5:42:28 PM

Thanks.  They are both full-time students and do not make over the $14,600 for dependent.

Returning Member
Jan 29, 2025 5:44:52 PM

They meet all the requirements:

 

You can claim a child, relative, friend, or fiancé (etc.) as a dependent on your 2024 tax return as long as they meet the following requirements:

 

Qualifying child

  • They're related to you.
  • They aren't claimed as a dependent by someone else.
  • They're a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.
  • They aren’t filing a joint return with their spouse.
  • They're under the age of 19 (or 24 for full-time students).
    • No age limit for permanently and totally disabled children.
  • They lived with you for more than half the year (exceptions apply).
  • They didn't provide more than half of their own support for the year.

Returning Member
Jan 29, 2025 5:51:40 PM

Going through the questions, it never asks if they are full-time students, only if they are away at college to count that as living with me...  Does TurboTax address that later?

 

 

Expert Alumni
Jan 29, 2025 5:53:18 PM

If your dependent is your qualifying child dependent, it doesn't matter how much they made.  For a qualifying relative dependent, their income has to be less than $5,050.  If you child is over 19, (under 24 if a full-time student) and not totally and permanently disabled, they would be considered a qualifying relative dependent and subject to $5,050 income.

 

For additional information, review the TurboTax article Rules for Claiming a Dependent on Your Tax Return

Returning Member
Jan 29, 2025 5:55:05 PM

The next question says to file as Single instead of Head of Household, so I don't think it is addressing full-time students to be eligible as dependents.  Unless I am missing something, I would think that is a bug in the SW.

 

 

Returning Member
Jan 29, 2025 5:55:59 PM

I agree.  Somehow TurboTax doesn't though.

Returning Member
Jan 29, 2025 6:08:04 PM

Does anyone know how to get this fixed?

 

Expert Alumni
Jan 30, 2025 12:50:12 PM

Go back through the dependents and mark each as full time students.  The program asks about disability, marital status, student, etc

New Member
Feb 19, 2025 12:41:25 PM

In the online product, after answering that my 22 year old child earned more than $5050, "Was a full-time student in 2024" showed up in the series of check boxes on the next screen, labelled "Less common situations for <blank>".

I guess having a 24-and-under child that's full time student that makes 5k is as uncommon as them getting married or dying.  I suspect the $5050 question starts being asked after they turn 22, b/c I wasn't asked it last year.

Level 15
Feb 19, 2025 12:45:53 PM

@TaxedBurdened The income question for a dependent is only asked when they are age 19 or older and Not a full time student or they are age 24 or older.

A full time student age 24 or older can no longer be claimed as a dependent under the Qualifying Child rules but under the Qualifying Relative rules.

New Member
Feb 19, 2025 1:05:27 PM

@DoninGAI'm pretty sure I was asked whether the kid was a full-time student AFTER the income question.  Of course it's entirely possible I missed the check box from the "uncommon situation" screen the first time through (I obviously think that's a pretty common situation), and was getting asked about the income as part of a "Review needed" button after the fact.