Video: Qualifying Dependents - Children

In this lesson, join Nick Palazzolo, CPA, as he delves into the intricate criteria for determining whether a child qualifies as a dependent on tax returns. This essential tax lesson covers the fundamental requirements, such as relationship, residence, age, support, citizenship, joint return status, and income, each explained through illustrative and practical examples. Additionally, Nick clarifies the often confusing tiebreaker rules for claiming a dependent in complex familial situations, like divorced parents, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of tax law as it relates to qualifying children. Whether grappling with college-age dependents or assessing support contributions, this lesson lays out everything needed to confidently navigate these rules.

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Video Transcript

Instructor: Nick Palazzolo

Nick Palazzolo is head instructor of ExamPrep.ai CPA Review. Nick's teaching style is engaging & upbeat, combining practical Big 4 tax & assurance expertise with years of 1-on-1 coaching. His lessons are concise and emphasize what you need to know to pass. Whether you're a recent grad or working full-time, we’re confident you can conquer your CPA exams with Nick’s review.

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Now we get to our child. These are the points you should for sure memorize and I want you to get these three points in the exam. So how do we know if this child sitting right in front of you is a qualifying child? That's another thing, you could have a child and you know, but if they don't meet one of these pieces of criteria, then you cannot legally count them as a qualifying child on your tax return. Now they must be relative, must be a child, stepchild, legally adopted child, foster child, brother, sister, or a descendant of a qualifying child. You see brother, sister here, if it's a younger brother or sister, right? If you're an adult and you've got a younger brother or sister who's still a kid, they can count. Residents, they must live with the taxpayer for more than half the year. We'll see, what about college kids who go to live at college? They're not excluded because of that. We'll talk about that later on. What about age? Well, the child must be under the age of 19 at the end of the tax year or under the age of 24 if they are a full-time student. You can see how the tax law is quite catered to, they want you to do here in this country is go to college. There is no age limit if the child is permanently or totally disabled. What about support? The child must not provide more than half of their own support during the year. We'll see about that. Well, if they have a job and they make a lot of money, that could exclude them from being considered. Now, citizenship must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or a resident of the U.S.,

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