Can I claim my fiancé as my dependent, if she made less than $5,050 and I supported her the full year, while attending graduate school and using those loans for school?

Loans are not "income"---If your GF lived with you for the whole year and had less than $5050 of income not counting Social Security and you paid for over half her support, you might be able to claim her as a qualifying relative for the $500 credit for other dependents.

Qualifying relative

• They don't have to be related to you (despite the name).
• They aren't claimed as a dependent by someone else.
• They're a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.
• They aren’t filing a joint return with their spouse.
• They lived with you the entire year (exceptions apply).
• They made less than $5050 in 2024 (not counting Social Security)
• You provided more than half of their financial support.

When you add someone as a dependent, we'll ask a series of questions to make sure you can claim them. There may be other tax benefits you can get when you claim a dependent.

Related Information:

• What does "financially support another person" mean?

Scholarships in excess of qualified education expenses are taxable and counted as gross income for your fiancee. If her gross income exceeds $5,050 in 2024, you can't claim her as a dependent.

Please read this TurboTax article  on scholarships for more information.

Please read this TurboTax article on Who Can I Claim as a Tax dependent?

Q.  If any excess loan funds (that did not go directly to the school) went to her pocket to pay for school or living expenses, would this count against the $5,050 limit as income?

A. No. Loans are not income. 

However, he loans are support not provided by you, for the support test, including the payments that went directly to the school for tuition and fees.