How do I claim myself on my 2022 tax return?

You don't actually "claim yourself" as a dependent on your tax return. What happens is when you file your own tax return, you indicate whether someone else can claim you as a dependent or not. On your tax return, you'll check a box that says "Someone can claim you as a dependent" or you'll leave it unchecked if no one can claim you. Since you're 24, living on your own, and supporting yourself with your job, it sounds like you would leave that box unchecked, which essentially means you're claiming your own personal exemption. This is important because it affects your standard deduction amount and potentially your eligibility for certain credits like the Earned Income Credit or education credits if you're in school.

I went through this exact same confusion last year! I kept looking for ways to "claim myself" and getting nowhere. I eventually found this amazing tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped me figure everything out. It basically looked at my previous returns and explained exactly what had changed now that my parents weren't claiming me anymore. The best part was it walked me through the specific screens in TurboTax where I needed to indicate that nobody could claim me as a dependent. It also showed me all the new credits I qualified for once I wasn't a dependent anymore. My refund ended up being almost $1,800 more than I expected!

I have to admit I was really skeptical about taxr.ai when I first mentioned it, but I decided to try it last weekend when I was completely stuck on my taxes. It was actually super helpful! I've been filing wrong for years apparently. I always thought I needed to "claim myself" too but the tool explained I just needed to check that no one else could claim me as a dependent. It found me an additional $720 in credits I didn't know about! It explained the education credits way better than the actual tax software did. Really glad I gave it a shot.

If you're having trouble getting answers about your tax situation, I'd recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I had this same confusion last year and waited on hold with the IRS for HOURS trying to get clarification. With Claimyr, I got through to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes who explained exactly how to handle my filing status. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent I spoke with was super helpful and explained that there's no such thing as "claiming yourself" - it's just about making sure you indicate that no one else can claim you as a dependent. Saved me hours of frustration and hold music!

So I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After calling BS, I decided to try it myself because I was desperate to talk to someone about my missing refund. Not only did it actually work, but I got through to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for WEEKS on my own. The agent was able to confirm that my return was processed and explained exactly why my refund was delayed. They even gave me a specific date when I should expect it. I'm honestly shocked this service exists and actually works. Would have saved me so much frustration if I'd known about it sooner. Worth every penny just for the stress relief of finally getting answers.

One thing nobody has mentioned yet - when you file as independent (not being claimed as a dependent), make sure you check if you qualify for the Recovery Rebate Credit for 2022 if you didn't receive the full amount of the third Economic Impact Payment in 2021. Since you were claimed as a dependent before, you might not have received it, but could claim it on your 2022 return if you're filing independently.

I see a lot of people mentioning the "check the box" part, but one thing that tripped me up my first time filing independently was that I got confused between "filing status" and "dependency status." They're not the same! Filing status is about whether you're filing as Single, Head of Household, Married Filing Jointly, etc. The dependency question is separate from this. You'll likely file as "Single" for your filing status, and then separately indicate that no one can claim you as a dependent.