Should my parents claim me as a dependent if I moved out last year?

8 Thanks for the info! Just to clarify - even though I lived with them from January to August (so more than half the year), I still wouldn't qualify as their dependent? Also, my income was definitely over $4,700 for the year if that matters.

15 Even though you lived with them for more than half the year, that only satisfies one part of the dependency test. Since you're over 23 and not a full-time student, you don't qualify as a Qualifying Child regardless of living arrangements. For the Qualifying Relative test, since your income was over $4,700 and you've been supporting yourself with your full-time job, you don't meet the criteria. The support test is particularly important - if you're paying for your own expenses, your parents aren't providing more than half your support for the year.

7 How exactly does taxr.ai work? Does it just ask questions or does it actually look at documents? I've tried other tax services but they always seem to give generic advice.

9 I'm a bit skeptical... What makes this better than just using TurboTax or H&R Block's free tools? They have dependency calculators too. Is this just another paid service?

12 It works by having you upload relevant documents like pay stubs or support records, then it uses AI to analyze them according to IRS rules. Unlike generic questionnaires, it catches nuances in your situation and provides specific tax code references to back up its determination. It's really helpful when you're in that gray area like living with parents part of the year. While TurboTax and H&R Block have basic calculators, they don't analyze your actual documents or provide the specific tax code justification. The personalized assessment report was what convinced my parents we were filing correctly. It's not just about calculating - it's about having documentation to support your position if questioned.

5 How does this Claimyr thing actually work? Do they have some special connection to the IRS or something? I've literally spent hours on hold with the IRS and never got through.

9 This sounds too good to be true honestly. The IRS is notoriously impossible to reach. I tried for weeks last year. How could some third party service get you through when the IRS's own phone system is so broken?

3 They use a technology that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you - then calls you when an actual agent is on the line. No special connection, just a smart system that stays on hold so you don't have to. It monitors the line 24/7 until it gets through. It's actually pretty simple - the IRS lines aren't impossible to get through, they just require extreme patience. Most people give up after 30-60 minutes, but Claimyr will wait however long it takes (sometimes hours) and then connect you. When there's a conflict between returns like with dependency claims, talking to an actual agent is really the only way to resolve it quickly.

1 That's a really good point I hadn't considered. My parents have claimed me throughout college and I know they get some education credits. Do you know roughly how much difference it would make for them if they don't claim me this year? I don't want to cost them thousands just so I can get my $1,350.

21 It depends on their tax situation, but not claiming you could potentially increase their tax bill by $500-$2,000 if they've been benefiting from education credits like the American Opportunity Credit. They also lose your exemption amount which impacts their taxable income. The best approach would be to calculate both scenarios - what you both get if you file independently versus what happens if they claim you. Sometimes families actually come out ahead overall by having the higher-income parents claim an eligible dependent, then the parents give some of the savings to the child to make up for their lost refund. But in your case, since you probably don't qualify as their dependent anyway, this isn't really an option.

2 Yikes, that sounds awful! Did you end up having to pay back your refund or did your parents? I'm definitely going to talk to my parents before either of us files. Not worth the drama!

Fortunately I didn't have to pay anything back since I was filing correctly - I really wasn't their dependent that year. But my parents had to amend their return and pay back the dependent exemption plus some penalties. The worst part was all the paperwork and documentation we had to provide to prove my living situation and support. Definitely learned my lesson about coordinating with family before filing!

You're absolutely right about the support test being the key factor! I was in a similar situation a couple years ago and made the mistake of assuming that living at home automatically made me a dependent. The IRS really focuses on who pays for what, not just living arrangements. One thing that helped me when I talked to my parents was to actually calculate the dollar amounts - like adding up what I paid for rent, food, car expenses, etc. versus what they provided. Having those concrete numbers made it much easier to have an objective conversation rather than just arguing about whether I was "independent" or not. Good luck with the conversation this weekend! It's definitely better to sort this out upfront.