How to Claim Your Parents as Dependents
For most of our younger years, our parents can claim us as qualifying child dependents and receive tax credits to decrease their tax liability. As we get older, some of our parents may in turn become our dependents. The IRS recognizes that many children assume care and financial support for their parents as they continue to age. To claim your parents as dependents on your income taxes, you must provide support and cover other expenses for a certain length of time. Review the criteria to see if you can claim your parents as dependents.
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Instructions
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1
Determine if your parents meet the requirements as qualifying relative dependents and thus. This means that individually, each one of your parents must:
Be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident;
Have a valid Social Security number;
Be your actual parent, either biologically or by adoption;
Individually has less income than the personal exemption amount for the tax year;
Not be eligible to or required to file an income tax return themselves;
Not file a tax return themselves;
Not file a joint income tax return with your other parent, if they are married; and
Receive more than 50% of all financial support from you. -
2
Complete your Form 1040 as you normally would to file your income tax return. Under the third section of the form, titled "Exemptions," list each of your parents' first and last names, Social Security numbers and relationship to you.
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Fill in the number of parents (one or two) you are claiming as dependents. Add up your total dependents, including yourself, your spouse and your children and provide the total number of dependents you are claiming in the fourth box.
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Provide the maximum credit for dependent care you can receive if you are eligible to receive this credit and you are claiming it. If you do claim the dependent care credit, you must complete Form 2441 and attach it to your completed Form 1040 to file along with your income tax return.
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Complete the remainder of your Form 1040 as you usually would. Sign and submit your completed Form 1040, along with your completed Form 2441 (if applicable) and file your tax return by submitting it to the appropriate IRS office.
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Tips & Warnings
You must solely provide at least 51 percent of both of your parents' support to claim your parents as dependents. If you support your parents with assistance from anyone else and you each contribute equally to their support, you are not eligible to claim your parents as dependents. If you are married, your spouse's income counts towards the 51% requirement.
You are not eligible to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit for claiming your parents as dependents.
