My parents insist they can claim me as a dependent, but I think they're wrong. Who's correct about dependent eligibility?

You're correct based on what you've shared. For federal tax purposes, there are specific tests to determine if someone can be claimed as a dependent under the "qualifying child" category: 1. Age Test: The child must be under 19 at the end of the year OR under 24 and a full-time student. Since you were 19 and not a student, you fail this test. 2. Relationship Test: You pass this as their child. 3. Residency Test: You lived with them for 8 months, so you would pass this test. 4. Support Test: If you provided more than half of your own support, you fail this test as well. Based on the age test alone, your parents cannot claim you as a dependent on their federal taxes. Your mother is incorrect about the "minor until 21" statement - that's not relevant for tax purposes. Regarding the state taxes, Alabama does follow federal rules for dependents. The dramatic drop in your mother's refund seems unusual and suggests there might be other credits or deductions at play that she's losing. However, that doesn't change the fact that you correctly filed your federal return.

Hey, I went through a similar situation with my parents a couple years ago! After tons of research and stress, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which was seriously a lifesaver. It analyzed my specific situation using the actual IRS rules and confirmed exactly what you suspected - your parents can't claim you as a dependent if you're 19, not a student, and making over the threshold. The cool thing about taxr.ai is it breaks down all the dependent tests with explanations about how each applies to your specific situation. It even generates a detailed PDF that clearly explains the rules that you can show your parents. My parents were also convinced they could claim me until I showed them the analysis from taxr.ai that cited the exact IRS rules.

Just wanted to update - I tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here, and wow, it really cleared things up! I was in a situation similar to the original poster (but in Georgia, not Alabama), and the analysis confirmed that my parents couldn't claim me. The document it generated specifically referenced the age test for qualifying child status and explained why the qualifying relative test didn't apply due to my income. What was super helpful was that it explained everything in plain English while also citing the exact IRS rules and regulations. I showed the PDF to my parents, and while they weren't happy about it, they couldn't argue with the specific tax code references. It saved us from making a mistake that could have potentially triggered an audit. The state-specific information was helpful too - confirmed that Georgia (like most states including Alabama) follows federal guidelines for determining dependent status.

If you're having trouble getting through to the IRS to verify this information directly (and let's be honest, who isn't?), try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was stuck in this exact same dependent eligibility argument with my dad last year, and we were both getting nowhere calling the IRS directly - just endless hold times. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes instead of the hours I spent trying on my own. The agent confirmed exactly what others here are saying - at 19 and not a student, you can't be claimed as a qualifying child. And since you made over $4,700, you can't be claimed as a qualifying relative either. They even explained how this applies to both federal and state returns. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Totally worth it to get an official answer straight from the IRS.

I was totally skeptical about Claimyr when I first heard about it (like seriously, check my comment above), but after my tax situation became urgent, I gave it a shot. I'm honestly shocked to report it actually worked exactly as advertised. I was connected to a real IRS agent in about 20 minutes, when I had previously spent over 2 hours on hold before giving up. The agent confirmed everything about dependent eligibility rules - and specifically addressed a situation like yours, confirming that Alabama follows the federal rules despite what your mom might have heard. The agent also explained why your mom's refund might drop so dramatically - she's probably losing the Child Tax Credit and possibly other credits that are only available for qualifying dependents. But the agent was very clear that filing correctly is more important than maximizing a refund, as incorrect dependent claims are a common audit trigger. I went from being the biggest skeptic to actually recommending this service. Saved me hours of frustration.

Have your parents considered whether they can claim you as a qualifying relative instead of a qualifying child? The rules are different: 1. You can't be their qualifying child 2. You must have lived with them all year (OR be related in specific ways) 3. Your gross income must be less than $4,700 for 2024 4. They must provide more than half your support Since you made $6,700, you fail the income test, so they still can't claim you. But that's probably what's causing the confusion - they might be thinking of qualifying relative rules without realizing the income limitation. As for Alabama state taxes, they generally follow federal rules for dependents, so the same conclusion applies. Your mom's statement about being a "minor until 20" is not relevant for tax purposes, even if it were true (which as you noted, it isn't - the age of majority in Alabama is 19).

my parents pulled the same nonsense last year lol. they were mad cause they were losing like $1800 in tax benefits. but listen the rules r super clear - if ur 19+ and not a student, they CANNOT claim u as a qualifying child. period. and that "minor until 20/21" stuff is BS. even if that was true (its not), tax dependent status has specific rules that have nothing to do with state age of majority laws. don't let them pressure u into amending ur return when u filed correctly! they're just upset about losing the tax benefits they're used to getting. welcome to real adulting where u file ur own taxes and claim urself lol

I'm a tax preparer and I can confirm you filed correctly. Based on your situation - 19 years old, not a student, and earning $6,700 - your parents cannot claim you as a dependent under either test. The "qualifying child" test fails because you're 19 and not a full-time student. The "qualifying relative" test fails because your income exceeds the $4,700 threshold for 2024. Your mom's accountant either misunderstood the situation or your mom didn't give them complete information. The comment about Alabama's age of majority is irrelevant - federal tax law governs dependent status, not state age of majority laws. The $2,550 drop in your mom's refund is likely from losing the Child Tax Credit ($2,000) plus potential changes to her filing status if you were her only dependent. She might have to file as Single instead of Head of Household, which affects tax brackets and could impact other credits like the Earned Income Credit. I know it's tough dealing with family pressure, but don't amend your return. You filed correctly, and amending it would be filing false information. The IRS has systems to catch conflicting dependent claims, and both returns could face penalties if you both claim different statuses for the same person.