Am I eligible to be claimed as a dependent at 28 years old living with parents?

Thanks for explaining! But what if my parents argue that by providing free housing they ARE providing more than half my support? Housing costs are expensive where I live and rent would be like $1500/month if I moved out. Doesn't that count as them supporting me financially?

The value of housing they provide would indeed count toward your support calculation, so that's a fair question. You'd need to calculate the "fair rental value" of your living space plus utilities to determine its value. When determining support, you need to compare the total value of what your parents provide (housing, any food, utilities you don't pay) against the total cost of your own support (what you spend on yourself). If your total earnings and expenses exceed what they provide, then you still provide more than half of your own support. Even with high rental values, with two jobs and paying all your other expenses, you may still provide more than half your total support.

Does this actually work though? Like if I upload my financial info, will it tell me definitively if I can be claimed as a dependent or not? Also is it safe? I'm worried about providing financial documents to random sites.

How exactly does that help with the "fair rental value" calculation? My parents keep saying their house would rent for $2k a month so that's what they're "giving me" every month, which is way more than what I spend on myself.

It absolutely works - it analyzes your specific financial situation and applies the IRS tests for dependency status. The system walks you through exactly what qualifies as support and what doesn't according to IRS rules, so you get a clear answer based on tax law. Regarding safety, they use bank-level encryption and don't store your documents after analysis. I was hesitant too but they explain their security measures on the site which made me comfortable. For the fair rental value question, taxr.ai actually helps calculate this properly - it doesn't just accept whatever arbitrary value someone claims. It considers factors like the portion of the home you occupy, local market rates, and shared spaces to determine a reasonable figure that would satisfy IRS scrutiny.

Wait what? How does this actually work? The IRS never calls anyone back. Is this legit or just some scam trying to get money from desperate people?

Yeah right. I've been trying to get through to the IRS for TWO MONTHS about an incorrect dependent claim. No way this actually works. The IRS is completely unreachable these days - they don't even answer their phones let alone call people back.

It's definitely legitimate - it works by holding your place in the IRS phone queue for you. Instead of you waiting on hold for hours, their system waits in line and when an IRS agent is about to answer, they connect you through a callback. The service doesn't claim to be affiliated with the IRS - they're a third party service that navigates the IRS phone system for you. I was skeptical too but getting an actual IRS agent on the phone within hours instead of weeks made a huge difference in resolving my situation. For people who need definitive answers directly from the IRS about dependency status or other tax issues, it's honestly worth it. The IRS agent I spoke with cited the exact regulations about who can be claimed as a dependent.

Thanks for mentioning this! That's exactly what I'm worried about. If I file first claiming myself, and then my dad tries to claim me later, will his return get rejected then? Or would mine get rejected if he files first?

Whoever files second will get rejected. So if you file first claiming yourself (which sounds correct based on your situation), and then your dad tries to claim you afterward, his electronic return would be rejected. If he still insists on claiming you after rejection, he would need to file a paper return. Then the IRS would review both returns, likely send letters asking for documentation from both of you, and make a determination. During this review period, any refunds related to the dependent claim would typically be held until resolution.

Yes, you can file an amended return using Form 1040-X for up to three years from the original filing deadline. If you meet the criteria to claim yourself (which sounds like you do), you should file an amended return to claim your proper filing status and any credits you're entitled to.

Thanks! I'll do that right away. Any idea how much of a difference this might make? I made about $42k last year.

The difference could be significant! At $42k income, you likely qualified for the full standard deduction ($13,850 for single filers in 2023) that you missed out on if your dad claimed you as a dependent. You also may have been eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit depending on your exact situation. The refund difference could easily be $1,500-$3,000 or more. Definitely worth filing that amended return - you have until April 15, 2027 to amend your 2023 return.