Every tax year, a large number of people are claimed as dependents on tax returns. Under certain circumstances, a dependent can be claimed if they are not related to you. Once someone is identified as a dependent and placed on your tax return, you’re essentially informing the IRS that you’re financially responsible for that person.
For 2020, the dependent credit for other than qualifying children is $500. A credit is different from a deduction because the credit reduces any taxes that are owed while a deduction will reduce the amount of income that is subject to tax.
A partner can be claimed as a dependent if they meet the following criteria:
- No one else is able to claim your partner as a dependent child on their tax return.
- The person that is being claimed must be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national, a U.S. resident alien, or a resident of Canada or Mexico also might qualify.
- Your partner must live with you year-round.
- Your partner’s gross income for the year cannot exceed $4,300 for 2020.
- You will need to require half of your partner’s financial support during the year.
- Your partner cannot be married to someone else or file a joint return with that other person.
You and your partner must live together for the entirety of the year in order to qualify as a dependent. If you have moved in the middle of the year, you will be required to wait until the next year before claiming your partner as a dependent.
If you’ve taken a vacation, or were deployed with the military, you will be considered living together. Based off IRS guidelines, the following types of absences will not count against you:
- Illness, such as time spent in a hospital or rehabilitation facility
- Vacations
- Business travel or assignments
- Education-related absences
- Absences for military service
Optima Tax Relief provides assistance to individuals struggling with unmanageable IRS tax burdens. To assess your tax situation and determine if you qualify for tax relief, contact us for a free consultation.