Who Can You Claim?
Who can I claim as a dependent on my tax return?
Let’s break down the IRS requirements for correctly adding dependents to your tax return.
First and foremost, a dependent is someone you support: You must have provided at least half of the person’s total support for the year — food, shelter, clothing, etc. If your adult daughter, for example, lived with you but provided at least half of her own support, you probably can’t claim her as a dependent.
For a quick overview of who you can claim, see our infographic.
Note: Claiming dependents no longer gets you a personal exemption, as the personal exemption was eliminated in favor of a much higher standard deduction.
What are the basic rules for claiming a dependent?
Dependents are usually, but not always, a child or other relative. Qualifying children and qualifying relatives have their own additional requirements, but all dependents must meet these requirements:
- Dependents can have their own tax returns, and even be married, but they must not have filed a joint tax return for the year unless it’s just to claim a refund.
- They must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or a resident alien.
- They must have a taxpayer identification number. That’s usually a Social Security Number, but if the child doesn’t qualify for one, it can be an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) or an Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number (ATIN).
Are there special rules for claiming a child as a dependent?
When you’re claiming a dependent who is a child, there are further requirements:
- The child has to have lived with you for at least half of the year.
- The child has to be related to you as a son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, or a descendant of any of those.
- The child must be 18 or younger at the end of the year, or under 24 if a student. To be a student, the child must have attended school full-time during at least five months of the year. The five months don’t have to be in a row.
- The child must be younger than you (or your spouse, if married filing jointly), unless the child is disabled.
Can I claim older relatives or unrelated persons as dependents on my tax return?
Yes, provided they meet the following requirements:
- The person can’t be a qualifying dependent of another person—you can’t claim the person if someone else already has.
- The person must be either related to you or must have lived with you all year as a member of your household.
Could my adult dependent still be required to file a tax return?
Yes—your adult dependent may still need to file a tax return in certain situations.
If your single dependent was under age 65 and not blind in 2020, they must file a tax return if they had:
- Unearned income more than $1,100
- Earned income more than $12,400
- Gross income more than the larger of:
- $1,100
- Earned income up to $12,050 plus $350
If your single dependent was age 65 or older, they must file a tax return if they had:
- Unearned income more than $2,750
- Earned income more than $14,050
- Gross income more than the larger of:
- $2,750
- Earned income up to $12,050 plus $2,000
If your single dependent was under age 65 and blind, they must file a tax return if they had:
- Unearned income more than $2,750
- Earned income more than $14,050
- Gross income more than the larger of:
- $2,750
- Earned income up to $12,050 plus $2,000
If your single dependent was age 65 or older and blind, they must file a tax return if they had:
- Unearned income more than $4,400.
- Earned income more than $15,700.
- Gross income more than the larger of:
- $4,400
- Earned income up to $12,050 plus $3,650
