Yes, you can. Here is a checklist for determining whether your mother-in-law (or other relative) qualifies. Please feel free to post any additional details or questions in the comment section.
- Do they live with you? Most relatives don't need to live with you, including your mother-in-law.
- Do they make less than $4,050? Your relative cannot have a gross income of more than $4,050 and be claimed by you as a dependent.
- Do you financially support them? You must provide more than half of your relative’s total support each year.
- Are they a citizen or resident? The person must be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national, a U.S. resident, or a resident of Canada or Mexico. Many people wonder if they can claim a foreign-exchange student who temporarily lives with them. The answer is maybe, but only if they meet this requirement.
- Are you the only person claiming them as a dependent? You can’t claim someone who takes a personal exemption for himself or claims another dependent on his own tax form.
- Are they filing a joint return? You cannot claim someone who is married and files a joint tax return. Say you support your married teen-aged son: If he files a joint return with his spouse, you can’t claim him as a dependent.
