My son and his wife live with us. I pay all house hold expenses but cable. and they buy their own food. can I claim them on my return?

[xmasbaby0]

You have not provided enough information.  Did they work and have income in 2016?

[SeanE1 · Accepted solution]

If you provide more than 50% of your son and daughter-in-law's support annually and meet the other conditions in the IRS test below, you may claim him and/or her on your 2016 tax return.

Qualifying Relative

These 4 tests (all of them) will qualify a relative as a dependent:

• Not Qualifying Child: They are not your or another taxpayer’s “qualifying child” 
• Gross Income: Dependent has to earn less than $4,050 in 2016.
• 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 one of the relatives that doesn’t have to live with you (mother, father, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, stepmother, stepfather, your child, stepchild, foster child, adopted child, etc) Note: this list is not all inclusive.