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Thread: Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

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    Veteran Member badpixie's Avatar
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    Default Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

    I hope this is in the right forum. My dad claimed me as a dependent last tax year (he shouldn't have), and we both got letters in the mail from the IRS. I know I don't have to do anything, but he's saying he need to see my tax return forms (which would show I am self-employed, right?).

    What do you guys think? He doesn't really need to see my tax return for any reason, does he? My parents are pretty controlling and conniving sometimes. He knew I was employed (but not a dancer), so do you think he is just trying to see how much I make or what I do for a living? Or does he actually need my tax return to amend his own (I can't see why he would).

    I know I was not a dependent because I didn't meet any of the criteria. Any advice?

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    Default Re: Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

    You filed on your own and he knows this (I'm assuming because he wants to see your return)? It just seems odd that if he did, then why did he try to claim you?

    what did the letter say? are they saying that he is not allowed to claim you as a dependent or are they saying he needs to pay income tax on your earnings? if it's the former, what good would producing your forms do? He owes more tax.

    If my parents asked to see my tax returns, I'd be blown away. it's just none of their business once I'm on my own.

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    Veteran Member badpixie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

    I received a basic letter that says someone else claimed me as a dependent. I figured it was my parents, and was correct. The IRS says if I am not someone's dependent, I need do nothing.

    My dad, however, says that I was his dependent (even though I lived with my parents at no point, only went to school for half a year, had a job while at school, made my own income afterwards). I could find no way to make myself a dependent (and get the tax benefits). He says I need to bring my tax return and go over it with him. It smells like controlling bullshit to me. Should I go to a tax organizer/expert, and find out if I really was a dependent? I just don't see any reason why my dad would need to see my tax return.

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    Default Re: Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

    So he needs to take you off and pay back taxes. It really has nothing to do with you.

    I don't know if he's being controlling so much as trying to get a tax break.

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    Veteran Member badpixie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

    He's not a psycho or anything, but he does like his money. So you're probably right. Perhaps the best course of action would be to tell him that I'll go over it with a tax organizer when I do my 2006 taxes (which I plan on doing early, January or February)?

    Thanks for the advice.

    edit: I should add that I DO want to claim myself for 2005, so that I can start getting the loans and other perks earlier.
    Last edited by badpixie; 12-01-2006 at 05:38 PM. Reason: additional note

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    Default Re: Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

    So he needs to take you off and pay back taxes. It really has nothing to do with you.
    ^^^ theoretically true. However, in the 'IRS World', both you and your father have now drawn attention because your SS# appears improperly on one of two 2005 tax returns. While the letter you received from the IRS doesn't require that YOU do anything about your 2005 tax return, that does not mean that the IRS isn't looking at it as we speak, right along with your father's 2005 return.

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    Default Re: Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

    Yeah, I would thank your dad for being greedy and making more work for you.

    I would also make sure that YOU have all of your ducks lined up in a row in case of an audit.

    However, I should say that it would be very unlikely that YOU would get audited...and your dad is at a very high risk for being audited...especially if he provided FALSE information on his taxes...knowing it was false and that you were in no way, shape, or form a dependant (especially if you are not a student and are living at a different address).

    Wow...if one of my parents did that, I would be pissed off.

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    Veteran Member badpixie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

    Thanks for the input. This was keeping me up last night.
    Here were my living arrangements, since it's easy to see how he could have snuck me in as a dependent:

    - 5 months in their home state, but living 3 hours away, of which..
    - 4 months, fulltime student (he paid)
    - then, 7 months NOT living with them, or in their home state at all, with no income from them (except xmas gift). Mail/billing address listed here in Oregon, not with them.

    I'm not sure about the income, whether they contributed more or I did. But the IRS says you need 5 months as a fulltime student and at least half a year living with them, so there's no way I was a dependent, right?

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    Default Re: Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

    My husaband is a CPA and he told me this:

    This is not an uncommon letter the IRS sends out. They just don't want to allow two exemptions for the same ss#. You are correct in that you do not need to do anything. Your dad has to ammend his return to take you off as a dependent. Also, you do not need to provide your dad with any tax information.

    He does not think that this will make the IRS look any closer at your return as far as an audit goes.

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    Default Re: Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

    Quote Originally Posted by aveji View Post
    My husaband is a CPA and he told me this:

    This is not an uncommon letter the IRS sends out. They just don't want to allow two exemptions for the same ss#. You are correct in that you do not need to do anything. Your dad has to ammend his return to take you off as a dependent. Also, you do not need to provide your dad with any tax information.

    He does not think that this will make the IRS look any closer at your return as far as an audit goes.

    I was thinking the same thing. It's not a big deal. Dad needs to amend his tax return cuz his baby grew up.

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    Default Re: Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

    One of the qualifications of dependant is that you provide 50% or MORE of their living expenses for AT LEAST 6 months.

    He would get the tuition reimbursment, maybe, if he qualifies (the tuition write off...) but other than that, I'm sure he knew that you were not a qualifying dependant.

    Don't show him your forms. Just tell him that you've got your end taken care of...he needs to take care of his end.

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    Default Re: Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

    In order to claim you as a dependent he would have had to pay MORE THAN HALF of your support for the year. Obviously, he didn't. He needs to suck it up and pay his dues.

    Your tax returns are none of his business, and I would tell him that.

    Quote Originally Posted by pheno View Post
    When you lead a nontraditional life don't try to measure it with traditional milestones.

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    Veteran Member badpixie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

    Thanks for the input, everyone. I don't know how much the school's tuition cost, though. I was a fulltime student for 1 semester (4 months). It's quite possible that with tuition, he paid more than I did.

    But even if he did pay more, if I lived away from them for 7 months, I can't be a dependent, can I? There are so many rules to this.

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    Default Re: Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

    Why can't your father know how much money you make? He's your family, not some stranger. In my family we can talk about money openly. I even know how much my cousin's boyfriend makes.

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    Default Re: Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

    Paying tuition, I do not believe, is considered "cost of living". He's paying your school tuition. But, unless you are going to Harvard, Yale, or whatever, I would highly doubt him paying your school tuition for 4 months would outweigh what you paid for the remaining 8 months. Also, if you are living and working and paying your own way for MORE than 1/2 the year, you cannot be claimed as a dependant.

    I think the hard part would be if you are still taking money from your parents (if they are sending you money every month or whatever) and letting them believe that you cannot pay your own way...then it becomes something that you need to sit down and figure out with a qualified professional.

    For instance, if your parents are sending you $1000 every month to pay for your apartment and food...because they think you only make enough to cover your credit card bills (or whatever)...and you actually make $2000 a month...your father is essentially covering your cost of living in HIS eyes (hence why he may have claimed you as a dependant...he's covering your rent and your food...cost of living). If you've told him you need no monetary assistance and he only paid for your tuition for 4 months...then you wouldn't be a dependant.

    I think there is more to this story than you are stating...I'm thinking that your parents are giving you money every month thinking that you are not making enough...while you are...and that is why you are in the situation you are in and possibly why your father wants to see your tax return.

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    Veteran Member badpixie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

    Why would I leave anything out? I'm trying to help myself here.

    They have not sent me anything (except a little birthday money) since I moved (early June of 2005). No monthly payments, no "help" with bills. So that would make 7 months of no money from them and living away.

    In fact, I always turned down their offers for money, to maintain my independence.

    I was only confused as to whether the "parent paying more than 50% of costs (including tuition) in a year" overshadows ALL the other rules, but apparently it doesn't. And if tuition doesn't count, then their support for the first 5 months a year doesn't come close to what I made afterwards.

    Thanks again. Anyone with other questions or input, please keep responding. I feel better now, but the whole thing made me shaken.

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    Default Re: Claimed as a dependent.. now what?

    If I'm wrong, I'm wrong...but it just doesn't make sense to me why your father would claim you as a dependant if you do not qualify. I mean, he knew you were going to have to file a tax return...

    You need to sit down and figure out how much he paid for your tuition...how much he paid out for you (approx.) for the 5 months you lived with him.

    Then you compare that with what you supported yourself with (and BTW...just in case, sending you birthday money is NOT considered support and cannot be claimed as a method of supporting your cost of living) and see what that total comes to.

    You really, really need to take this to a professional and have them go over it with you and make sure you have your bases covered. If its all good, then its your father's bad and he needs to get to his own accountant and start paying his taxes on that money he shouldn't have written off.

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