The child must have lived with you for more than half of the year.2 3. The person's gross income for the year must be less than $4,300.3 Gross income means all income the person received in the form of money, goods, property and services, that isn't exempt from tax.
For qualifying dependents who are not a qualifying child (called “qualifying relatives” in tax law), the person's gross income for the 2023 tax year must be below $4,700 (for 2023). For qualifying relatives, they must get more than half of their financial support from you.
To meet the qualifying child test, your child must be younger than you or your spouse if filing jointly and either younger than 19 years old or be a "student" younger than 24 years old as of the end of the calendar year.
Income: If your child earned income, she can still be claimed as a dependent as long as her gross income is below the IRS threshold for qualifying children, which is $4400 for 2023. If her income exceeds this amount, she may need to file her own tax return.
Even if your student files their own tax return for part-time wages, as long as they are under 24 years old and enrolled in school full-time, you may still be able to claim them as a qualifying child.
Yes, your parents can claim you as a dependent after the age of 18 indefinitely as long as you meet the qualifying household and financial support requirements.
Claiming dependents: Qualifying child tests and requirements
Under the age of 19 and be younger than you (or your spouse, if filing jointly), or: Be under age 24, be a full-time student, and be younger than you (or your spouse, if filing jointly), or. Be permanently and totally disabled regardless of age.
Cons of Claiming a College Student as a Dependent
If your child has earned income and you claim them as a dependent, they lose the opportunity to claim their own personal exemption (when applicable in future years) and certain tax credits that could be more advantageous for them.
If your dependent is a qualifying child, there is no limit to the amount of income they can earn. Generally, to qualify, the child must meet the specific relationship, age, residency, and support requirements. However, if your dependent is classified as a qualifying relative, their gross income must not exceed $4,700.
There is no age limit for how long you can claim adult children or other relatives as dependents, but they must meet other IRS requirements to continue to qualify. Additionally, once they are over 18 and no longer a student, they can only qualify as an "other dependent," not a qualifying child.
The Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC) provides up to $1,154 per eligible tax return for tax year 2024. YCTC may provide you with cash back or reduce any tax you owe. California families qualify with earned income of $31,950 or less.
To claim a child's income on a parent's tax return, the child needs to be considered a qualifying child dependent of the parent. Parents can use IRS Form 8814 to elect to report their child's income on their tax return instead of the child filing their own return.
A person cannot be claimed as a dependent unless that person is a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico, for some part of the year. (There is an exception for certain adopted children.) A dependent must be either a qualifying child or qualifying relative.
Do they meet the age requirement? Your child must be under age 19 or, if a full-time student, under age 24. There's no age limit if your child is permanently and totally disabled.
If your gross income was $5,050 or more, you usually can't be claimed as a dependent unless you are a qualifying child. For details, see Dependents.
Changes to Certain Benefits
The five dependency tests – relationship, gross income, support, joint return and citizenship/residency – continue to apply to a qualifying relative. A child who is not a qualifying child might still be a dependent as a qualifying relative.
If you earned income, but your parents still qualify to claim you as a dependent, all you have to do is select the option for “I can be claimed on someone else's return”. Parents will qualify for educational credits that students potentially cannot get on their own.
If they financially provide you funds that are equal to or greater than half of your annual income, then you must file as dependent. Filing as an independent could result in more benefits, but you must meet IRS guidelines to avoid issues.
For 2024 (taxes filed in 2025), the child tax credit is worth up to $2,000 per qualifying dependent child.
Relationship: Must be your child, adopted child, foster child, brother or sister, or a descendant of one of these (grandchild or niece/nephew). Residence: Must have the same residence for more than half the year (exceptions apply). Age: Must be under age 19 or under 24 and a full-time student for at least 5 months.
The maximum credit amount is $500 for each dependent who meets certain conditions. This credit can be claimed for: Dependents of any age, including those who are age 18 or older. Dependents who have Social Security numbers or Individual Taxpayer Identification numbers.
If you're still interested in claiming dependents, but your child doesn't meet these tests, your college student can still be your dependent if: You provide more than half of the child's support. The child's gross income (income that's not exempt from tax) is less than $4,700 in 2023.