Who can I claim as a dependent?
It depends on your situation. When claiming dependents on taxes, you can claim a qualifying child or qualifying relative if you meet the requirements.
A qualifying child can be any of these:
- Your child can include a son, daughter, stepchild, eligible foster child, adopted child, or a descendant of any of them
- Your brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, stepsister or a descendant of any of them
A qualifying relative can be any of these:
- Your child, stepchild, eligible foster child, adopted child, or a descendant of any of them
- Your brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, stepsister or a descendant of any of them
- Your son-in-law, daughter-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law
- Your father, mother, grandparent, or other direct ancestor, including stepparents (but not a foster parent)
- Uncle or aunt
- A person, including a friend, girlfriend, boyfriend, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, great niece, great nephew or cousin who lived with you all year as a member of your household
Related Resources
What is a CPA, and how can one help you with preparing your taxes? Understand the role of a certified public accountant with the experts at H&R Block.
When it comes to making everyday tax decisions, we find that there's a gap between what's true and what's rumored. Let's explore four common tax myths.
Do you have unreimbursed expenses to include on your tax return? Learn how to claim unreimbursed employee expenses with IRS Form 2106.
Learn how to deduct student loan interest with H&R Block. Get information about qualified education expenses and see if a student loan tax deduction applies to you.
