Work full time, moved out in August and turned 19 in November, can my parents claim me as a dependent?

[linhannaha]

I graduated highschool in May, moved out in August, turned 19 in November and earned $8,800 from gross pay for 2016, I am a student but not full-time. Can my parents still claim me as a dependent?

[AndreaG · Accepted solution]

It depends. There are two ways you can qualify as their dependent. You can be their dependent if meet the requirements to be a qualifying child or a qualifying relative. Since you are under the age of 24, you can qualify as a qualifying child if you meet the IRS definition of a student for 2016, if all the other requirements are met. If you do NOT meet the requirements to be a qualifying child, then you wont qualify as their dependent because you wont meet the qualifying relative requirements because of your earned income. 

Please refer to page 13 of Pub 501, under the headings, "student defined", "full time student", "school defined", and "vocational high school student" to determine if your child meets the IRS definition of a student. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p501.pdf

Additionally, please refer to the chart on page 12 of pub 501 to see if you meet the requirements to be claimed as a qualifying child. Please note that there are requirements listed above the qualifying child and qualifying relative sections, and those requirements must be met as well.  https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p501.pdf.