Who Can You Claim as a Dependent on Your Income Tax Return?
When it comes time to file your income tax return, one of the most important decisions you have to make is who you can claim as a dependent. This can be a tricky question, because there are specific criteria that must be met in order for someone to be considered a dependent. In this blog post, we will go over those criteria and help you determine who you can claim on your income tax return.
First and foremost, in order to be claimed as a dependent on someone’s income tax return, that person must meet the IRS definition of a dependent. According to the IRS, a dependent is defined as “a qualifying child or relative who meets the requirements for exemption.” So what are those requirements?
In order to be considered a qualifying child for tax purposes, the person must meet all of the following criteria:
- The child must be under 19 years old at the end of the year, or if they are a full-time student, under 24 years old.
- The child must live with you for more than half of the year.
- The child cannot provide more than half of their own support.
- The child must be a U.S. citizen, national, or resident alien.
If the person does not meet all of those criteria, they may still be considered a qualifying relative for tax purposes. In order to qualify as a relative, the person must meet all of the following criteria:
- The person must live with you for more than half of the year.
- The person cannot provide more than half of their own support.
- The relationship between you and the person must be one of the following: parent, step-parent, ancestor (grandparent, great grandparent), brother or sister (including stepbrothers and stepsisters), nephew or niece (including great nephews and nieces), son-in-law, daughter-in-law, stepson or stepdaughter, uncle or aunt (including great uncles and aunts), or first cousin.
As you can see, there are a number of different criteria that must be met in order for someone to be considered a dependent for tax purposes. Be sure to take all of these into consideration when determining who you will claim as a dependent on your income tax return.
If you have any questions about claiming dependents on your income tax return, be sure to speak with a qualified tax professional. They will be able to help you determine who you can claim as a dependent and ensure that you are taking advantage of all of the deductions and credits available to you.
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