Skip to main content
February 6, 2023
Question

Is it beneficial to me to not have my parents claim me on their taxes anymore. i am 19 and a full time college student. they don't get the child tax credit anymore

  • February 6, 2023
  • 4 replies
  • 0 views
No text available

4 replies

Employee
February 6, 2023

It is not a "choice".   If you CAN be claimed as a dependent then you are required to say on your own tax return that you can be claimed.  In most situations, a full-time college student under the age of 24 can still be claimed as a qualified child dependent on the parents' tax return.  The person who claims the dependent gets the education credits.  You can file your own tax return in order to seek a refund of tax withheld from your paychecks but in My Info you have to say that you can be claimed as someone else's dependent.

 

Your parents still get the $500 credit for other dependents, education credit, and can claim any of your medical expenses that they paid for.

 

CAN I FILE A RETURN IF I AM A DEPENDENT?

If you can be claimed as a dependent on your parents’ return, you can still file your own return so that you can receive a refund of taxes withheld.  (You will not get back anything for Social Security or Medicare withheld.) Be sure that on your own return you say that you can be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return.

 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/children-dependents/help/do-i-need-to-file-my-own-taxes-if-i-m-a-dependent/00/26111

 

 

 

 

If you can be claimed as a dependent and you answer the question in My Info incorrectly, here is what happens if you e-file first:  Your Social Security number goes into the IRS system as having been used.  When your parents try to e-file, their e-file is rejected and they will find it impossible to e-file their own tax return.  Then they will have to print, sign and mail their return and wait for months for it to be processed.  You, meanwhile, will have to file an amended tax return on a special form called a 1040X, which also takes months for the IRS to process.  So make sure you know the correct answer to "Can anyone claim you as a dependent on their tax return?"

 

 

 

Read this from a parent's perspective:

WHO CAN I CLAIM AS A DEPENDENT?

 

You can claim a child, relative, friend, or fiancé (etc.) as a dependent on your 2022 taxes as long as they meet the following requirements:

Qualifying child

  • They're related to you.
  • 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're under the age of 19 (or 24 for full-time students).
    • No age limit for permanently and totally disabled children.
  • They lived with you for more than half the year (exceptions apply).
  • They didn't provide more than half of their own support for the year.

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 $4,400 in 2022.
  • 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.

 

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**
February 6, 2023

The issue is not whether it is beneficial to your parent's to claim you as a dependent, but whether or not you qualify as their dependent.  When you fill out your tax return, you have to indicate is someone CAN claim you as a dependent, not whether they did or will claim you.  If your parent's do claim you, they may be eligible for the $500 Credit for Other Dependents.  For more information on this credit, click on the following link:

 

What is the $500 Credit for Other Dependents (“Family Tax Credit”)?

**Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post**Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"
Hal_Al
Employee
February 6, 2023

Q. Is it beneficial to me to not have my parents claim me on their taxes anymore?

A. No.  With the tax law change, effective 2018, most dependents will get the same refund whether they claim themselves or not. The personal exemption has been eliminated and the standard deduction increased.  But, your parents will lose, at least,  the $500 dependent credit and possibly more.

 

But, as others, have said, it's not optional. There is a rule that says IF somebody else CAN claim him as a dependent, he is not allowed to claim himself. If he has sufficient income (usually more than $12,550), he can & should still file taxes. In TurboTax, he indicates that somebody else can claim him as a dependent, at the personal information section.  TT will check that box on form 1040.

Even if he had less, he is allowed to file if he needs to get back income tax withholding. He cannot get back social security or Medicare tax withholding.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/dependents/help/when-do-i-have-to-answer-yes-to-being-claimed-as-a...

 

 

Employee
March 7, 2023

My 22 year old son is college senior. He got decent income by doing internships etc. However I paid his tuition and living expenses.  I need advice whether I can still claim him as dependent in my tax forms.

 

Last year when he filed taxes -  Can a parent (or somebody else) claim you as a dependent on their tax return? ....'No' was selected and I did not claim him as dependent. 

 

But I feel it was a mistake and I should claim him as dependent. And from tax benefit purpose this should be better option too. please advise

 

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/family/rules-for-claiming-a-dependent-on-your-tax-return/L8LODbx94

 

 

KrisD15
March 7, 2023

You don't say what the income is that the student earned, but USUALLY the parent claims a college student. 

 

The student would need to have supplied more than half his own support, and unless the student had savings set aside, that is usually impossible to do while attending school. 

 

HERE is a link to an IRS support worksheet that might help. 

 

Students usually don't MOVE to the place they attend school, so if you still have a room for him to come home to, count that as supplied by you. 

Any kind kind of financial aid the student gets, such as a scholarship, does NOT count as the student suppling his own support. 

 

The IRS has education credits to help families dealing with the cost of college, so if you can take advantage of them, you should. 

 

 

**Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post**Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"
January 9, 2025

My parients is dead pls give me some claim 

Hal_Al
Employee
January 9, 2025

The restriction on students, under age 24, claiming the refundable portion of the American Opportunity Tuition Credit (AOTC) does not apply if neither of your parents is still living. 

 

The TurboTax (TT) personal info interview, on your return, will ask about their status after it detects that you are a full time student under age 24.  When you answer that they are not living, TT will allow you to claim the AOTC.