Submitted By: Sarah
Answered: October 14, 2016 11:22 am

Our son graduated from college this past May and is now living at home. Can we claim him as our dependent?

A child can be a parent’s dependent if under age 24 and a full-time student who does not provide more than half of his/her support. A full-time student means the child is enrolled in school on a full-time basis for at least part of five months during the year. You must decide whether your son meets these tax requirements to be treated as your dependent.

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Tax Glossary

Exemption

A fixed deduction allowed to every taxpayer, except those who may be claimed as a dependent by another person. Extra exemption deductions are allowed for a spouse on a joint return and for each qualifying dependent. A deduction of $3,400 is allowed for each exemption claimed on 2007 returns, but the deduction is phased out for certain high income individuals.

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