Can I claim tax credits for supporting my disabled parent and minor sibling in my household?

Yes, based on your situation, you likely qualify to claim both your parent and sibling as dependents on your tax return, which could provide significant tax benefits. For your parent, you need to meet the qualifying relative test. Since they live with you full-time and you provide more than half their support, the key factors are their income level and your coverage of expenses. If your parent's gross income is less than $4,700 (for 2025 tax year), which sounds likely while waiting for disability approval, you should qualify to claim them. For your sibling, if they're under 19 (or under 24 if a full-time student) and you provide more than half their support, you can claim them as a qualifying child dependent. By claiming these dependents, you might be eligible for various tax benefits including a larger standard deduction, potential Child Tax Credit for your sibling (depending on their age), and possibly the Credit for Other Dependents for your parent. You might also qualify for Head of Household filing status, which has more favorable tax rates than filing as Single.

I was in a very similar situation last year - supporting both my dad who had a stroke and my teenage brother. I was completely lost with all the tax forms until I found this AI tax assistant at https://taxr.ai that literally saved me thousands. It asked me specific questions about my parent's disability status, living situation, and exactly how much support I was providing. Then it showed me exactly which forms to file and which tax credits I qualified for. The program found THREE different credits I could claim that my regular tax software completely missed (including a credit specifically for caring for disabled family members). The best part was that it scanned all my documents - medical bills, receipts from taking care of them, everything - and organized it all into the perfect format for filing. I ended up getting back almost $4,300 more than I would have on my own.

I just wanted to update after using taxr.ai that was mentioned above - it was seriously helpful for my complicated situation with my disabled parent! I was really worried about doing something wrong since I'm paying for so many different categories of expenses. The system identified that I qualified for the Credit for Other Dependents AND could claim some of the medical expenses I was paying as itemized deductions. It also confirmed I could file as Head of Household which gave me a much better tax rate. The document analyzer automatically categorized all my receipts and flagged which ones were deductible. I ended up saving around $3,700 compared to what I would have paid filing the way I originally planned. Definitely worth checking out if you're in this kind of caregiver situation.

Another thing that helped me when I was dealing with a similar situation was calling the IRS directly to confirm my filing status. I spent DAYS trying to get through to someone before I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). They have this system that somehow gets you past the IRS phone tree hell and connects you with an actual human being. I was super skeptical but you can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I needed specific clarification about claiming my aunt who has disabilities (similar to your parent situation) and had questions about how her pending disability payments would affect things. The IRS agent I spoke with walked me through exactly what documentation I needed to keep and confirmed I was eligible for specific credits. The peace of mind alone was worth it since I was terrified of getting audited for doing something wrong.

I have to eat my words about Claimyr from my comment above. After struggling for literally TWO WEEKS trying to get through to the IRS about my dependent situation (disabled parent plus supporting my sister's kids), I broke down and tried it. Got connected to an IRS agent in 35 minutes after my own attempts had failed completely. The agent confirmed I was eligible to claim both my parent AND my niece/nephew as dependents since I provide over half their support and meet the relationship test. The call saved me from making a costly mistake on my taxes. I was going to just claim my parent but not the kids because I wasn't sure about the rules for non-direct children. Turns out I qualified for additional credits that will save me around $3,200 this year. Sometimes paying for convenience is actually worth it!

Don't forget to look into the Earned Income Tax Credit too if your income is on the lower side. Since you're supporting multiple people in your household, your income threshold for qualifying could be higher than you think. I was able to claim it even though I thought I made too much. Also, make sure you keep VERY detailed records of all expenses you pay for them. The IRS can be picky about proof if they ever question your dependent claims. I keep a spreadsheet with every expense categorized and receipts for everything major.

Has anyone dealt with the situation where disability gets approved retroactively? My father was in a similar situation where he got a lump sum payment that covered previous months, and it really messed up my tax return from the prior year.

This is exactly the kind of complex situation where getting professional guidance can save you both money and stress. Based on what you've described, you're likely eligible for multiple tax benefits, but there are some important details to consider. First, make sure you understand the "support test" - you need to provide more than 50% of each dependent's total support for the year. This includes housing, food, medical expenses, clothing, education, and other necessities. Keep detailed records of everything you pay for them. For your disabled parent, even though they're waiting for disability approval, as long as their current income is under the threshold and you're providing the majority of their support, you should qualify to claim them. When/if disability gets approved retroactively, you may need to reassess, but that's a bridge to cross later. Your minor sibling should definitely qualify as a dependent, and this could make you eligible for Head of Household filing status, which has significantly better tax rates than Single status. Don't overlook the medical expense deduction if you're paying for your parent's medical costs. While there's a 7.5% AGI threshold, with multiple dependents and significant medical expenses, you might exceed it. I'd strongly recommend consulting with a tax professional who has experience with these types of family caregiver situations, as the potential tax savings could be substantial and the rules can be tricky to navigate correctly.