
Originally Posted by
Melonie
I would also add that, as a full time college student, becoming 'emancipated' from being a dependent of your parents is not that simple. In general, for a full time student to become 'emancipated' ... thus free to file their own tax returns and student grant applications without involving their parents ... one of the following usually needs to be the case
- age 24/25 ( varies by state )
- married
- a (former) member of the US military
- a family court order establishing emancipated status ( varies by state )
- a full year of independent living ( college housing does not count ), with financial documentation proving that the student has earned and paid more than 50% of their total living costs ( with tuition cost included in the total )
I have known a couple of girls who had major problems with the 'emancipation' issue. Even though their parents knew that they were dancers, the girls were A. getting killed by the high tax rate applying to their dancing income ( because they could not claim themselves thus received no standard deduction or exemptions ), and B. getting killed by their dancing income reducing / eliminating their eligibility for student grant money ( which is based on the total of the parents' PLUS the student dancer's income). Both ultimately decided to take a year off from college in order to successfully establish their 'emancipation' ... and then returned to school.
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