The term "Dependent" refers to a person who is financially dependent on another person. In the context of income tax, a dependent is a person who is not able to support themselves financially and therefore relies on another person to provide for their basic needs.
Can I claim a dependent that is not my child?
Yes, you may be able to claim a dependent that is not your child if they meet the requirements to be considered a qualifying relative. A qualifying relative can be a child, stepchild, foster child, sibling, half-sibling, or a descendant of any of these, who is unmarried and younger than you (or your spouse, if filing jointly), and who did not provide more than half of their own support during the tax year. They also must have lived with you for more than half the year (excluding temporary absences, such as for school), and cannot have filed a joint return with their spouse.
Can I claim my mom as a dependent if she lives with me?
Yes, you can claim your mom as a dependent if she lives with you. If she meets the IRS's definition of a "qualifying relative," you can claim her as a dependent on your federal income tax return. To meet the definition of a qualifying relative, your mom must:
•Be related to you in one of the following ways: parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, sibling, or aunt/uncle
• live with you for the entire tax year
• not have earned more than the IRS-defined income limit for dependents ($4,050 for tax year 2016)
• not have filed a joint tax return with a spouse
• not be claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer
How many Dependants should I claim?
The number of dependents you claim on your income tax return will determine your tax bracket and ultimately how much tax you will owe. The more dependents you claim, the lower your taxable income will be. You can claim anywhere from 0 to 9 dependents, but keep in mind that each dependent you claim must meet the IRS criteria.
Generally, you can claim someone as a dependent if they are a relative who lives with you and is financially dependent on you. This includes children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents, siblings, and other relatives. You can also claim someone as a dependent if they are not related to you, but they live with you and rely on you for financial support. Who qualifies as a Dependant? A dependant is a person who is financially dependent on another person. In the context of income tax, a dependant is a person who is financially dependent on another person for their income. The most common type of dependant is a child, but a dependant can also be a spouse, partner, or other family member.
What are the two types of dependents?
There are two types of dependents for purposes of claiming a personal exemption on your income tax return:
1. Qualifying Child
To be a qualifying child, the dependent must meet the following criteria:
- The child must be related to you by blood, adoption, or marriage
- The child must live with you for more than half the year
- The child must be younger than age 19 (or 24 if a full-time student)
- The child cannot provide more than half of his or her own support for the year
2. Qualifying Relative
To be a qualifying relative, the dependent must meet the following criteria:
- The relative cannot be a qualifying child as defined above
- The relative must live with you for the entire year (or, if the relative does not live with you, he or she must have lived with you more than half the year immediately preceding the year in question)
- The relative's gross income for the year must be less than the personal exemption amount (which is $4,050 for tax year 2016)
- You must provide more than half of the relative's support for the year