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Adding parents as dependants

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johnstarr

Junior Member
My parents income is SS, so total is $1200 a month. No other income source. I heard that I need to provide more than 50% of my parent's total financial support during the year. What does that mean exactly? I have to show the IRS 50% of my pay goes to them, it's monitored? Please explain.

Thank you
 


Proserpina

Senior Member

justalayman

Senior Member
I heard that I need to provide more than 50% of my parent's total financial support during the year.
simply put; if they spend the $14,400 income they receive on their support, you would have to spend more than that on them for you to have provided more than 1/2 of their financial support.




I have to show the IRS 50% of my pay goes to them, it's monitored?
no, you would have to be able to prove you paid more in their costs of living than they did.
 

Proserpina

Senior Member
simply put; if they spend the $14,400 income they receive on their support, you would have to spend more than that on them for you to have provided more than 1/2 of their financial support.




no, you would have to be able to prove you paid more in their costs of living than they did.


Admittedly tax stuff isn't my area of expertise, but I'm yet to meet anyone who has to actually show proof of expenditure (in terms of support) in order to claim them as dependents.

YMMV, as always.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
Admittedly tax stuff isn't my area of expertise, but I'm yet to meet anyone who has to actually show proof of expenditure (in terms of support) in order to claim them as dependents.

YMMV, as always.
well, seeing I have never known anybody that was able to list their parent as a dependent, I know of none myself that had to prove it. It wouldn't surprise me to see it happen though. Otherwise it would be too easy to take your parents as dependents illegally and generally, the IRS is not inclined to make much of anything too easy for a taxpayer.
 

Proserpina

Senior Member
well, seeing I have never known anybody that was able to list their parent as a dependent, I know of none myself that had to prove it. It wouldn't surprise me to see it happen though. Otherwise it would be too easy to take your parents as dependents illegally and generally, the IRS is not inclined to make much of anything too easy for a taxpayer.


They cross-check SS#s to make sure the dependent isn't filing themselves and hasn't been "claimed" by anyone else, but other than that it would seem like too much of a waste of resources to verify anything beyond that.

Heck, you don't even have to be living with the dependent in order to "qualify".

(seems...odd, but okay)
 

justalayman

Senior Member
Proserpina;3259559]They cross-check SS#s to make sure the dependent isn't filing themselves and hasn't been "claimed" by anyone else, but other than that it would seem like too much of a waste of resources to verify anything beyond that.
since when has the gov worried about wasting resources to prove a point, no matter how trivial it may be?

Heck, you don't even have to be living with the dependent in order to "qualify".

(seems...odd, but okay)
actually I don't see that as odd at all. Think about your children. You can put them in an apartment somewhere and if you pay over half their support, they are your dependent.


http://www.irs.gov/Help-&-Resources/Tools-&-FAQs/FAQs-for-Individuals/Frequently-Asked-Tax-Questions-&-Answers/Filing-Requirements,-Status,-Dependents,-Exemptions/Dependents-&-Exemptions/Dependents-&-Exemptions-2


Question: Is there an age limit on claiming my child as a dependent?

Answer:

To be claimed as your dependent, your child must meet the qualifying child test or the qualifying relative test. To meet the qualifying child test, your child must be younger than you and, as of the end of the calendar year, either be younger than 19 years old or be a student and younger than 24 years old. There is no age limit on claiming your child as a dependent if the child meets the qualifying relative test.

As long as all of the following tests are met, you may claim a dependency exemption for your child:

Qualifying child or qualifying relative test,
Dependent taxpayer test,
Citizen or resident test, and
Joint return test.
 

Proserpina

Senior Member
since when has the gov worried about wasting resources to prove a point, no matter how trivial it may be?

actually I don't see that as odd at all. Think about your children. You can put them in an apartment somewhere and if you pay over half their support, they are your dependent.


http://www.irs.gov/Help-&-Resources/Tools-&-FAQs/FAQs-for-Individuals/Frequently-Asked-Tax-Questions-&-Answers/Filing-Requirements,-Status,-Dependents,-Exemptions/Dependents-&-Exemptions/Dependents-&-Exemptions-2

If the IRS actually had to check into every tax payor-dependent relationship...wow. I can only imagine the wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Then again, despite there being a penalty in place for lying, let's face it - a good percentage of those convicted will end up doing nothing more than paying a fine and spending a couple of years in a Club Fed facility and that's if IRS can prove that it was a deliberate falsification vs. mistake.

Completely irrelevant but almost funny: A certain person once tried to argue black and blue with LdiJ, tranq and myself that to be a dependent you must actually be a US citizen.

Funny old world.
 

davew128

Senior Member
well, seeing I have never known anybody that was able to list their parent as a dependent, I know of none myself that had to prove it. It wouldn't surprise me to see it happen though.
Saw it several times this year, though admittedly in all instances it was people who had immigrated to to the US with their parents and the parents didn't HAVE social security.

For the OP, the $1,200/month alone would be a disqualifier for claiming them as dependents.
 

davew128

Senior Member
They cross-check SS#s to make sure the dependent isn't filing themselves and hasn't been "claimed" by anyone else, but other than that it would seem like too much of a waste of resources to verify anything beyond that.
Well they income check as well which is easily done and relevant when not claiming a minor child.

Heck, you don't even have to be living with the dependent in order to "qualify".

(seems...odd, but okay)
Why is that odd? One family member supporting another 100% who living in a separate home is NOT that unusual. It really isn't.
 

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