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June 5, 2019
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I supported my sister's kids this year but I didn't adopt or Foster them can i claim them and what do I put them as if I can?

  • June 5, 2019
  • 4 replies
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Best answer by DoninGA

You may be able to claim them as your dependent's under the Qualifying Relative rules if they meet all the requirements.

In TurboTax when adding a dependent, for the children, on the Relationship screen use the option Another person and from the dropdown choose Niece or Nephew as appropriate.

To be a Qualifying Relative -

1. The person cannot be your qualifying child or the qualifying child of any other taxpayer. A child is not the qualifying child of any other taxpayer if the child's parent (or any other person for whom the child is defined as a qualifying child) is not required to file an income tax return or files an income tax return only to get a refund on income tax withheld.

2. The person either (a) must be related to you or (b) must live with you all year as a member of your household. 

3. The person's gross income for the year must be less than $4,050 (social security does not count) in 2017

4. You must provide more than half of the person's total support for the year.

5. The person must be a U.S. citizen or a U.S., Canada, or Mexico resident for some part of the year.

6. The person must not file a joint return with their spouse.

4 replies

DoninGA
Employee
June 5, 2019
Did they live in your home for over one-half the year?
Employee
June 5, 2019
and did your Sister? Did she have any income?
June 5, 2019
Yes they lived with me and no she didn't have any income
DoninGA
DoninGAAnswer
Employee
June 5, 2019

You may be able to claim them as your dependent's under the Qualifying Relative rules if they meet all the requirements.

In TurboTax when adding a dependent, for the children, on the Relationship screen use the option Another person and from the dropdown choose Niece or Nephew as appropriate.

To be a Qualifying Relative -

1. The person cannot be your qualifying child or the qualifying child of any other taxpayer. A child is not the qualifying child of any other taxpayer if the child's parent (or any other person for whom the child is defined as a qualifying child) is not required to file an income tax return or files an income tax return only to get a refund on income tax withheld.

2. The person either (a) must be related to you or (b) must live with you all year as a member of your household. 

3. The person's gross income for the year must be less than $4,050 (social security does not count) in 2017

4. You must provide more than half of the person's total support for the year.

5. The person must be a U.S. citizen or a U.S., Canada, or Mexico resident for some part of the year.

6. The person must not file a joint return with their spouse.