Can I file as independent or am I still a Qualifying Relative for 2024 taxes?
I've been trying to figure out my tax situation and I'm really confused about whether I qualify as a dependent or not. I moved out of my parents' house in January this year, but for most of last year (2024) I was basically dependent on them. I'm 26 years old, so I know I'm definitely not a Qualifying Child. The thing is, during 2024 I made less than $5,000 in income, which I think is under the threshold for a Qualifying Relative. My main question is: Do my parents get to choose whether they claim me as a Qualifying Relative on their 2024 taxes? Or do I have the option to file independently? I'd really like to file on my own because I'm hoping to get some tax credits that would help me out financially since moving out has been expensive. This whole situation is really confusing me and I can't find a clear answer online that matches my specific circumstances. Any advice would be super helpful!
18 comments
Join the conversation
Andrew Pinnock
Based on what you've described, this comes down to whether you meet all the tests for being a Qualifying Relative for 2024. Since you lived with your parents for most of the year and earned less than the gross income limit (which is $5,050 for 2024), your parents likely can claim you as a Qualifying Relative. The important thing to understand is that this isn't really a "choice" in the eyes of the IRS. If you meet all the requirements to be a Qualifying Relative, then your parents are entitled to claim you. If you meet the requirements, you must check the box on your return indicating someone can claim you as a dependent. That said, you should still file your own tax return if you had any income with tax withholding. You'd file as "Someone can claim you as a dependent," but you'd still get any refund of taxes withheld that exceeds your tax liability. Filing your own return doesn't prevent your parents from claiming you as their dependent.
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•Thank you for the explanation! So if I understand correctly, it's not my choice but based on whether I meet the requirements? Also, would filing as "someone can claim you as a dependent" affect my eligibility for any tax credits that might help me now that I'm on my own?
0 coins
Andrew Pinnock
•Correct, it's not really a choice but determined by whether you meet all the requirements for being a Qualifying Relative. If you meet them, then that's your status for tax purposes. Filing with the "someone can claim you as a dependent" status does limit your eligibility for certain credits. For example, you wouldn't be eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit. However, you can still receive a refund of any income tax that was withheld from your paychecks that exceeds your actual tax liability.
0 coins
Brianna Schmidt
Hey there! I went through this exact situation last year and found a super helpful tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that cleared everything up for me. I was confused about my dependent status too since I lived with my parents part of the year but then moved out. The tool asked me specific questions about my living situation, income, and support provided and gave me a clear answer about my status. What was really helpful is that it explained WHY I qualified as a dependent (or not) based on the actual tax code. It also showed me exactly which forms I needed and how to file correctly. Might be worth checking out since your situation seems kinda complicated with the mid-year move and everything!
0 coins
Alexis Renard
•Does this tool actually connect with the IRS or is it just giving general info? I'm always skeptical of tax websites that aren't directly connected to the government.
0 coins
Camila Jordan
•I'm curious - did it help you figure out if you could get any tax credits even if you were claimed as a dependent? That's my biggest concern right now since I need all the financial help I can get.
0 coins
Brianna Schmidt
•The tool doesn't directly connect with the IRS - it's more like an AI tax assistant that applies tax rules to your specific situation. It analyzes your information against the actual tax code to determine your filing status, not just general advice. It absolutely helped me understand which credits I could still get even as a dependent. For example, I learned I could still get education credits for my college expenses even though my parents claimed me. It breaks down exactly which credits you qualify for based on your specific situation, which was super helpful when I was trying to maximize my refund.
0 coins
Camila Jordan
Just wanted to follow up! I tried taxr.ai and it was actually really helpful for my situation. It walked me through all the Qualifying Relative tests and showed me that I technically did qualify as my parents' dependent for 2024 (ugh). But it also showed me that I could still file my own return to get back the withholding from my paychecks. The best part was it showed me some credits I'm going to qualify for next year once I'm fully independent. It even created a custom checklist of things I should track this year to maximize my refund for next year's taxes. Way more helpful than the general articles I was finding online!
0 coins
Tyler Lefleur
If you're struggling to get clear answers about your dependency status, you might want to try calling the IRS directly. I know, I know - trying to reach a human at the IRS is basically impossible. I spent HOURS on hold last year with the same question. But then I found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that actually got me through to an IRS agent in under 20 minutes! You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c They have some kind of system that navigates the IRS phone tree and holds your place in line, then calls you when an agent is about to pick up. The agent I spoke with gave me the official word on my dependency status situation, which was a huge relief since it came straight from the IRS.
0 coins
Madeline Blaze
•How does that even work? Sounds like a scam to me. The IRS phone lines are notorious for being impossible.
0 coins
Max Knight
•Did they charge you for this? I'm suspicious of anything claiming to help with the IRS that isn't from the government directly. No offense, but there are so many tax scams out there.
0 coins
Tyler Lefleur
•It uses a combination of automation and technology to navigate the IRS phone system and hold your place in line. When it detects that an agent is about to answer, it connects you through. It's basically doing the waiting for you so you don't have to sit on hold for hours. Yes, there is a fee for the service, but I found it worth it compared to spending my entire day on hold. I was skeptical too, but I was desperate for answers directly from the IRS about my dependency status. They don't ask for any sensitive information - just your phone number so they can call you when an agent is ready.
0 coins
Max Knight
I have to admit I was wrong about Claimyr! After seeing how frustrated I was trying to get through to the IRS (I spent 2 hours on hold one day and got disconnected), my roommate convinced me to try it. I was connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes, and they confirmed exactly what I needed to know about being claimed as a Qualifying Relative. The agent even explained which credits I could still claim on my own return despite being a dependent. Honestly saved me days of stress and uncertainty. Sometimes it's worth getting the answer straight from the source, especially with something as important as taxes.
0 coins
Emma Swift
One thing nobody's mentioned yet - if your parents provided more than half of your support for the year (housing, food, education, medical, etc.), that's a key test for the Qualifying Relative status. Even if you're not living with them anymore, what matters is the support test for the tax year in question. Also, make sure you and your parents communicate about this. If they claim you and you incorrectly claim yourself as independent, it'll cause both returns to get flagged and potentially delay any refunds.
0 coins
Ella Lewis
•That's a good point about the support test. They definitely covered more than half my expenses for 2024 (rent, groceries, car insurance, etc.). I'll make sure to talk to them before we file. Do you know if there's a specific form or calculation to determine exactly what counts as "support"?
0 coins
Emma Swift
•There's no specific form for calculating support, but the IRS does have guidelines. Support includes food, housing, clothing, education, medical expenses, transportation, and recreation. For housing, you calculate the fair rental value of the space provided plus utilities. Keep in mind that scholarships don't count as support you provided for yourself. Also, any loans you took out yourself do count as support you provided, but loans your parents took out count as support from them.
0 coins
Isabella Tucker
Has anyone used TurboTax for this kind of situation? I'm wondering if it walks you through the dependent questions clearly or if it's confusing.
0 coins
Jayden Hill
•I used TurboTax last year when I was in a similar situation. It asks you specific questions about your living situation, income, and who provided support. It was pretty straightforward and determined my correct status. If you're still unsure after using it, they have tax pros you can talk to, though that costs extra.
0 coins