Are you your parent caregiver and always wanted to know if you could claim your parent as a dependent?
Answer:
You may claim your parent as a dependent if you meet the following IRS tests:
- You're not a dependent of another taxpayer.
- Your parent, if married, doesn't file a joint return, unless your parent and his or her spouse file a joint return only to claim a refund of income tax withheld or estimated tax paid.
- Your parent is a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. resident alien, or a resident of Canada or Mexico.
- You paid more than half of your parent's support for the calendar year.
- Your parent's gross income for the calendar year was less than the exemption amount.
- Your parent isn't a qualifying child of another taxpayer.
Relatives who don't have to live with you.
A person related to you in any of the following ways doesn't have to live with you all year as a member of your household to meet this test.
- Your child, stepchild, foster child, or a descendant of any of them (for example, your grandchild). (A legally adopted child is considered your child.)
- Your brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, or stepsister.
- Your father, mother, grandparent, or other direct ancestor, but not foster parent.
- Your stepfather or stepmother.
- A son or daughter of your brother or sister.
- A son or daughter of your half brother or half sister.
- A brother or sister of your father or mother.
- Your son-in-law, daughter-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law.
