Sometimes we’re so busy growing up that we forget they’re growing old.
Everyone knows that claiming a dependent on your income tax return can get you a significantly larger refund. For every dependent you claim on your taxes you can claim an extra personal exemption. That’s a large chunk of change you can deduct from your income, thus reducing your tax burden.
But who exactly can you claim? Are you eligible to claim your parents as dependents?
When it comes to taxes there are actually two different types of dependents: qualifying children and qualifying relatives.
Obviously, you can’t claim your parents as qualifying children. So the question becomes, do they meet the requirements for qualifying relatives?
Is your parent a qualifying relative for tax purposes?
In order to claim someone as a qualifying relative they must:
- Have lived with you all year as a member of your household, or be one of the following family members: child, parent, sibling, stepparent, stepchild, step-sibling, half sibling, grandparent, grandchild, child-in-law, parent-in-law, sibling-in-law, uncle, aunt, niece, or nephew
- Be a U.S. citizen or resident, or a resident of Canada or Mexico
- Be unmarried, or married but not filing a joint return
- Not be a qualifying child of you or someone else
- Have a gross income of less than $4,000
- Have more than half of their total support for the year provided by you
In plain English, this means that yes you can claim a parent as a dependent but they have to meet the above requirements.
Are Social Security Benefits included?
As a general rule, Social Security benefits are not included in gross income. For more information about Social Security and Disability benefits, check out our other article, “Claiming Parents as Dependents If They Receive Social Security Benefits“. Be sure to make sure they are tax-exempt, because this could determine your eligibility to claim them as a dependent.
When determining if you provided over 50% of a parent’s total support, be sure to consider
- lodging
- food expenses
- utilities
- repairs
- household expenses
- clothing
- education
- medical and dental expenses
- travel
- recreation expenses
If you support a parent who meets all of the requirements listed above be sure to claim them when you file online this season!
If my grandmother lived with me from Jan to July in 2015, because of a dispute between her and her sister, can I claim her as a dependent and can I file head of household. She receives food stamps and since October she has received disability ssi and social security payments. I provide more than half of her support, even now that she is not living with me. She moved back in with her sister, because it is more space there.
Hi Marie,
Based on what you have stated above, you may be able to claim your grandmother as a qualifying dependent. In order to do this, your grandmother must have met all of the following requirements:
1. She must not be your qualifying child and cannot be someone else’s qualifying child.
2. She must be related to you according to IRS stipulations (which she is as your grandmother).
3. She must have earned less than $4,000 in gross income throughout the year.
4. You must have provided more than half of her total financial support during the year.
I can claim my father as a dependent since he meets the requirements for a qualifying dependent. How will this affect his disability benefits? Will his benefits be based on my income?
Hi Amy,
To qualify for Social Security disability, your parent must prove that he is unable to work due to a medical condition that has lasted, or is expected to last, at least 12 months. The benefit is based on his work record and is paid monthly until he reaches full retirement age or until Social Security decides he is no longer disabled. Being claimed as a dependent has no effect on the benefit, but Social Security does limit any wage income she receives while on disability.
My mom is 58. She had a heart attack 4 years ago. She receives disability benefits and collects 700 a month in social security. Can I claim her on my taxes or will she lose her benefits?
Hi Nicole,
As long as your mother meets the other requirements for you to claim her on your tax return, you can do so. Her benefits will not be affected whatsoever.
My disabled little brother Passed away in March 2015, can my parents claim him for taxes 2015?
Hi Joe,
I am so so sorry for your loss.
To answer your question, your parents are able to claim your brother as their dependent. According to the IRS, a dependent that passes away during the year is deemed to have lived in your home for the entire year.
If you or your parents have any questions at all about this or any other tax situations, feel free to give our tax team a call at 877-289-7580.
I am trying to see if I can claim my father on my taxes because I am a bit confused. He is disabled and receives a disability check but he doesn’t file for it. But he also receives a retirement check that he has to file taxes for and he says its about $8,000 gross income. Am I still able to claim him?
Hi Kiara,
In order to claim a parent as a dependent on your taxes, you need to meet certain requirements set forth by the IRS. One of these is that your parent must not have a gross income of $4,000 or more per year. Gross income does not include Social Security payments or other tax-exempt income. That being said, have him double check his retirement to see that it is not taxable. If it is, than you cannot claim him. If it is not, then you can claim him as a dependent considering he meets all other requirements to do so.