Video: How to Claim Adult Dependents on Your Tax Return
You might be able to cut your tax bill if you can claim a parent or other adult as a dependent on your tax return. However, you must satisfy seven tests to do this. Watch this video to find out more about claiming an adult dependent on your return.
The One Big Beautiful Bill that passed includes permanently extending tax cuts from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, including increasing the cap on the amount of state and local or sales tax and property tax (SALT) that you can deduct, makes cuts to energy credits passed under the Inflation Reduction Act, makes changes to taxes on tips and overtime for certain workers, reforms Medicaid, increases the Debt ceiling, and reforms Pell Grants and student loans. Updates to this article are in process. Check our One Big Beautiful Bill article for more information.
Video Transcript
Did you know you can claim certain adults as dependents? Let's break down who qualifies, in this edition of Tips by TurboTax.
Claiming a parent or other adults as dependents can offer similar tax savings as a child dependent. To claim an adult as your dependent, you must satisfy seven tests.
One: If you're filing jointly, no one can claim you or your spouse as a dependent on their tax return.
Two: Your adult dependent must use a filing status other than married filing jointly on their return. There's an exception if they file a joint return only to get a refund of withheld taxes or estimated payments.
Three: Your adult dependent must be a U.S. citizen, resident alien, U.S. national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico.
Four: The adult you want to claim can't be your qualifying child or the qualifying child of anyone else. Generally, a qualifying child must be under 19 years old or under 24 if they're a full-time student.
Read more about who is a qualifying child in the article linked in this video's description.
Five: Your adult dependent must either live with you all year as a member of your household or be a certain type of relative, such as a parent, grandparent, child or a sibling, aunt or uncle, niece or nephew, or an in-law.
Eligible relatives don't have to live with you to pass the test. For example, a parent that you support who lives in a care facility the entire year could be a dependent if they meet all of the requirements.
Six: Your adult dependent’s annual gross income must be below a set amount. For the 2024 tax year, the limit is $5,050, and it rises to $5,200 for 2025. Gross income generally includes all income that isn’t exempt from tax.
And seven: You must provide more than 50% of your adult dependents financial support for the year. This includes costs for housing, food, clothing, education, medical care, and similar necessities.
When you file with TurboTax and add a dependent, We’ll ask you simple questions to make sure you can claim them.
Visit TurboTax.com for more info to help you file your taxes with confidence.

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