Can my mom claim me as dependent on taxes if I switch residency to another state for college?

Thanks for the clear explanation! Yes, I'm under 24, full-time student, and my mom definitely provides more than half my support. When I'm not at school I do live with her back in Wisconsin. Would this affect her state tax filings at all? Like would Wisconsin tax rules be different than federal?

The state tax rules generally follow the federal guidelines for dependency, so if you qualify as a dependent for federal purposes, you'll typically qualify for state purposes too. Wisconsin would still allow her to claim you as a dependent on her state return. The only thing that might change is your own tax situation. If you become a Florida resident, you wouldn't file a Wisconsin state tax return anymore (unless you have Wisconsin-source income). Florida doesn't have a state income tax, so that's actually a benefit for you. Your mom's Wisconsin tax return wouldn't be affected by your residency change.

Does this actually work for complicated situations? I'm in a similar boat but I also have income from three different states and I'm worried about messing up my residency declaration.

I've heard of AI tax tools but I'm skeptical. Did it actually give you specific advice about your situation or just general information you could find on the IRS website?

It absolutely works for complicated situations. I had income from both my home state and my college state too, and it walked me through exactly how to handle the partial-year resident returns. It even explained which forms I needed for each state. The advice was completely specific to my situation. It's not just pulling general info from the IRS website - you upload your documents and it actually analyzes your specific circumstance. It pointed out that my scholarship needed special reporting and identified a credit my parents could claim for my education expenses that they had missed the previous year.

Wait, how does this even work? I thought it was impossible to get through to the IRS without waiting forever. Is this some kind of special access service?

This sounds like BS honestly. Nobody can magically get you through to the IRS faster. They're understaffed and everyone has to wait in the same queue. I'm calling scam on this one.

It's not special access - they use a combination of technology and timing to connect with the IRS more efficiently. They basically do the waiting for you and call you when they have an agent on the line. It uses a completely legitimate callback system. No magic involved - they just have the systems in place to navigate the IRS phone tree and stay on hold so you don't have to. It's a time-saver, not a line-cutter. They can't make the IRS answer faster, they just handle the waiting part for you so you're not stuck listening to that awful hold music for hours.

That's a really good point I hadn't thought about! I actually go to a private university in Florida, so tuition is the same regardless of residency. But that would be super important for someone at a public university. What about scholarships though? I have a small scholarship from a Wisconsin organization - could changing my residency affect that?

Glad to hear tuition isn't an issue for you with the private university. For scholarships, it definitely can matter. Some state-based or local scholarships do have residency requirements where you need to maintain residency in that state to continue receiving funds. You should contact each scholarship provider directly to ask about their policy on residency changes. I've seen students lose state-specific scholarships after changing residency, so it's worth checking before making any changes. Sometimes you can find ways to maintain your scholarship eligibility while still getting the healthcare benefits you need.

I used TurboTax last year when I was a dependent in Oregon but had residency in Washington for school. The Deluxe version handled it fine. You don't need Premium unless you have investments or rental property. Just make sure whoever claims you as a dependent enters your correct SSN regardless of what state you're in.

That's really helpful advice about checking the college health plan! I actually hadn't thought about that option. My university does offer a student health plan that I could probably get during open enrollment. Do you happen to know if student health plans typically cover you year-round or just during the academic year? I'm wondering if it would still cover me during summer break when I'm back in Wisconsin, or if I'd need to coordinate with my mom's plan during those months. The cost comparison is definitely something I should do before making any big residency changes. Thanks for bringing up these alternatives!

Most student health plans do cover you year-round, not just during the academic year! That's actually one of their major advantages over some other coverage options. The coverage typically runs from August to August (following the academic calendar) so you'd be covered during summer break back in Wisconsin too. However, you'll want to check the network coverage for when you're back home. Some student plans have limited provider networks that work great in the college town but might not have many in-network options in your home state. Others have broader networks or reciprocal agreements that give you decent coverage nationwide. I'd definitely call your university's student health center and ask for specifics about their plan - coverage periods, network coverage in Wisconsin, and how it compares cost-wise to individual Florida plans. This could be a much simpler solution than changing your residency, especially since you'd avoid any potential complications with scholarships or other state-specific benefits. @Aidan Hudson, definitely worth exploring this route first before making the residency switch!

This is really important information about establishing residency properly! I had no idea there were so many specific requirements beyond just getting a driver's license. The 183-day rule makes sense - I definitely spend more than that in Florida with the academic year. I'm curious though - if I do all these things to establish Florida residency, would that create any complications for my mom's taxes in Wisconsin? Like would Wisconsin state tax authorities ever question why she's claiming a dependent who is a Florida resident? Or is that not something they typically look into as long as the federal requirements are met? Also, do you know if there are any downsides to opening a Florida bank account while I'm still financially dependent on my parents? I'm worried it might complicate things if my mom is still helping with expenses but I have accounts in a different state.