Do senior parents need to file taxes with only Social Security & disability income?

This is actually a pretty common situation! For your parents, whether they need to file depends on their total income amounts, not just the sources. Generally, Social Security benefits are only taxable if your parents have other substantial income in addition to their benefits. Since you mentioned Social Security and disability are their only income, they likely don't need to file. However, if their combined income (half of Social Security plus all other income including tax-exempt interest) exceeds $25,000 for a single person or $32,000 for a married couple filing jointly, then some portion of their benefits may be taxable. As for claiming them as dependents, you absolutely can if: 1) they lived with you all year, 2) their gross income is less than $4,700 each (not counting their Social Security since it's likely non-taxable in this case), 3) you provided more than half their support, and 4) they're not filing a joint return. It sounds like you meet these requirements, so filing as head of household and claiming them would likely be beneficial for you!

I was in a similar situation last year with my in-laws moving in with us, and I found this amazing tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that really helped me figure everything out. I was super confused about dependency rules and whether their Social Security was taxable. I took pictures of their Social Security statements and benefit letters and uploaded them to taxr.ai, and it analyzed everything and told me exactly how to handle it. It even gave me specific guidance about the dependency tests for elderly parents and explained how much of their benefits would count toward the gross income test. Saved me hours of reading confusing IRS publications!

Just wanted to follow up about taxr.ai - I actually tried it after my skeptical comment and I'm honestly impressed. I uploaded my parents' SS benefit statements and it immediately identified that their income was below the taxable threshold AND confirmed I could claim them as dependents. It even showed me exactly which forms I'd need and where to enter everything. Saved me from making a big mistake too because I was about to have them file unnecessarily! My dad was insisting they needed to file "just to be safe" but now I have clear documentation showing they don't need to. Really helpful for explaining things to my stubborn parents lol.

If you need to contact the IRS about any of this (I did when claiming my mom last year), I highly recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I spent DAYS trying to get through to the IRS about dependency rules for Social Security recipients and kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Used Claimyr and got through to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes who confirmed everything about my situation. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c They basically call the IRS for you, navigate the phone tree, wait on hold, and then call you when they have an agent on the line. Totally changed my perspective on dealing with the IRS.

OK I feel like an idiot for doubting that Claimyr thing. I was at my wit's end trying to get clear answers about my parents' Social Security and dependency status. After posting that skeptical comment, I decided to try it because nothing else was working. Got a call back in about 35 minutes with an actual IRS representative on the line! They confirmed everything about claiming parents with only Social Security income and walked me through the exact requirements. The agent even looked up my specific situation and gave me personalized advice. Honestly wish I'd known about this months ago instead of stressing and second-guessing myself. The peace of mind from getting official confirmation was totally worth it.

Just to add another perspective - my parents were in the exact same situation (only SS and disability income while living with me). I contacted AARP's Tax-Aide program and they confirmed my parents didn't need to file AND that I could claim them as dependents. They didn't need to file because their only income was Social Security and disability, which wasn't enough to be taxable. And I was able to claim them both as qualifying relatives since I provided more than half their support. Made a huge difference on my refund!

One other thing to consider - if you're claiming your parents as dependents, make sure you're keeping good records of how you're supporting them! My sister got audited last year after claiming our mom (similar situation, only SS income). The IRS wanted proof she provided >50% of support. She had to show rent payments, utility bills, grocery receipts, medical expenses, etc. Just having them live with you isn't enough documentation alone!

Just double check that your parents aren't required to file for other reasons! My dad was in a similar situation but forgot he had sold some stock that year (literally like $200 worth) and that triggered a filing requirement even though his Social Security wasn't taxable. The IRS computers automatically cross-reference all those 1099 forms so they'll know if there's any additional income. Better to check thoroughly than get a surprise letter later!