Did you know that if someone else claims you as a dependent [1] on their taxes, you might still need to file a tax return? It all depends on whether or not you meet one or some of the criteria in the five dependency tests — relationship, gross income, support, joint return and citizenship/residency. Let’s take a look and see if you qualify for filing a tax return as a dependent.
What is a Dependent?
A person classified as a dependent [1] cannot claim an exemption [2]; subsequently, the person who claims the dependent can claim this exemption on their tax return. This is a significant amount of tax savings up for grabs, so it’s important to know how the IRS defines a dependent. Aside from this, if you claim yourself, and someone else claims you as a dependent, then the IRS will eventually catch up with both of you—something you want to avoid.
A dependent can be a qualifying child [1], or a qualifying relative. In a nutshell, for parents to claim a child as a dependent:
- The child must have lived in their home for more than half the year.
- The parents must provide at least half of the child’s support.
- The child must either be under 19 or a full-time student/under 24.
To meet the relationship test, you must be a relative or live in the person’s home for the entire year. To claim someone as a dependent, that person must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national or resident of Canada or Mexico for some part of the year. There is an exception to this rule for certain adopted children [3].
When Do Dependents Have to File Taxes?
There are several reasons why you may still need to file a tax return even if you are claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return.
Kids will need to file taxes if they meet the income limits [4].
You also may need to file a tax return if you meet one of the following four conditions:
- You owe a special tax (see IRS Publication 501 [5] for more information on this)
- You/spouse if filing jointly received Archer MSA, Medicare Advantage, MSA, or health savings account [6] distributions
- You had net earnings from self-employment of at least $400
- You had wages of $108.28 or more from a church or qualified church-controlled organization that is exempt from employer social security and Medicare taxes.
For specifics, check out IRS Publication 501 [5]. For some dependent tips from the IRS, see IRS Six Important FAQs about Dependents [7].
Tip: If you are a dependent of another person, you cannot claim any dependents on your own return.