Family Can You Claim Your Elderly Parents on Your Taxes? Read the Article Open Share Drawer Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Written by TurboTaxBlogTeam Published Oct 10, 2023 - [Updated Mar 1, 2024] 4 min read The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) allows you to claim your elderly parent as a dependent on a tax return as long as no one else does. If you choose to claim an exemption for your parent, you must also ensure that you are not an eligible dependent to another taxpayer. This restriction is effective even if the taxpayer who can claim you as a dependent chooses not to do so. Table of Contents Satisfying the gross income testSatisfying the support testSatisfying the Residency and Relationship Test Other Benefits to Claiming Your Elderly Parents Medical Expenses Child and Dependent Care Credit We've Got You Covered Satisfying the gross income test Unlike claiming a child as a dependent, it is not necessary that your elderly parent lives with you. However, you do have to consider your parent’s income when figuring out whether you can claim them. If your parent has taxable income of $4,300 or more in 2021, you cannot claim them as a dependent on your taxes. When evaluating your parent’s taxable income, do not include their social security payments and other tax-exempt pensions. Their taxable income does include, however, dividends, capital gains from the sale of stock, interest earned in a bank account and other passive investments such as income from rental properties they own. Satisfying the support test Not only must your parent have minimal gross income, but you must also provide more than half (51%) of their financial support during the tax year. Satisfying the requirements of the support test requires a comprehensive evaluation of your parent’s expenses. The fact that your parent receives sufficient income during the year does not necessarily mean the funds are used for their support. The support test looks to who actually pays rather than the parent’s ability to pay. For example, if your elderly parent only uses their Social Security benefits to pay $300 in monthly rent and you provide all other expenses that total more than $300 each month, then you will satisfy the requirements of the support test even if your parent puts thousands of dollars of tax-exempt income into a savings account each month. Satisfying the Residency and Relationship Test In order to claim your parent on your tax return they must satisfy the requirements as a “qualifying relative”. This means that the person must be your parent, in-law, or even grandparent. This elderly parent must be related to you biologically, by adoption, or via marriage (and thus the biological parent of your spouse). Unlike a non-relative, your parent, in-law or grandparent does not have to live with you. However, the IRS does require that your elderly parent (or grandparent) meet one of the following requirements: Be a legal United States Citizen Be a United States National Be a United States Resident Alien Be a resident of Canada or Mexico Other Benefits to Claiming Your Elderly Parents Other benefits to claiming your elderly parents may include claiming medical expenses and the Child and Dependent Care Credit on your tax return. Medical Expenses If you paid for your parent’s medical care, you may be able to claim their medical expenses that you paid if you can claim itemized deductions. You can even deduct your parent’s medical expenses if they do not meet the income requirement to be claimed as your dependent as long as you provide more than half of their support. Keep in mind that your total medical expenses will have to exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income to claim these expenses. Child and Dependent Care Credit Most people think of the Child and Dependent Care Credit as a credit you can get for taking your kids to daycare. When you have kids you can only claim the credit for sending them to daycare or summer camp when they are under 13, but there is no age limit if they are disabled. The same goes for a disabled elderly parent. If you can claim your parent who is disabled as a dependent there is no age limit for claiming the credit. If you have to pay for care for your elderly parent who is disabled so that you can work you may be able to claim a credit up to $4,000 for 2021. Also for tax year 2021, the maximum amount that can be contributed to a dependent care flexible spending account and the amount of tax-free employer-provided dependent care benefits was doubled from $5,000 to $10,500. For tax year 2022, the Child and Dependent Care Credit reverts back to pre-American Rescue Plan law and is up to $1,050 for one dependent and up to $2,100 for two or more dependents. We’ve Got You Covered Don’t worry about knowing these tax rules. Meet with a TurboTax Full Service expert who can prepare, sign and file your taxes, so you can be 100% confident your taxes are done right. Start TurboTax Live Full Service today, in English or Spanish, and get your taxes done and off your mind. Get started now Previous Post Tax Law Changes and Your Guide to Filing Taxes in… Next Post Free Swaps and Taxes: What You Need to Know Written by TurboTaxBlogTeam More from TurboTaxBlogTeam 153 responses to “Can You Claim Your Elderly Parents on Your Taxes?” Newer Comments » Since I can claim my mother as a dependent on my taxes, does she still need to file a tax return for her income, as little as it might be? As of May 2012, we pay nearly 100% of my elderly mother’s living expenses – including her mortgage and utilities. She lives out of state, and receives $730 per month in SSA income per year. We claimed her as a dependent for 2012, but it was disallowed. Before calling the IRS, I am hoping you can let me know what documents or proof I need to have on hand. Thank you. These are all helpful. My 90year old father moved in after Mom past away and is paying us 1300 per month for rent, medical, personal expenses, so do we claim that as income? Can we still claim him as a dependent? My father lives in a house that I own. I pay the personal property and up keep on the house. I also pay the water bill for him and repairs to his vehicle. Can I claim him on my taxes. He gets 800 on SS and has no other income. Some times I have to buy him groceries. my father gets 24,000 from SSDI He lives with me and I pay all household expenses Can I claim him as a dependent Hi Satie, As long as you pay for over half of his support for things like housing, food, medical, clothing, and other basic necessities you can claim him. TurboTax will ask you the necessary questions to help you. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Hi Lisa, My Father stays in India and I’m paying for his all expenses (food, clothing, medical etc..) can I claim these expenses on my fed or state return? Is yes can you tell me how? My 77 year old mother does not live with me but I pay her electric bill, buy most of her groceries, I gave her a vehicle, which she can’t drive anymore, and purchase most of her clothing. She receives $872 a month on social security and $360 on retirement. Up until reading the blogs I didn’t know claiming her was an option. Would she qualify as a dependent for me. No one else claims her. My mom and brother get ssi and. Sociall security. They both llive with me and my husband. We tried to claim them on our taxes but our tax guy said we couldnt cuz there ssi will be taken away. Is this true? Hi Rosa, Since your question is about Social Security benefits and not about income taxes, we can’t provide an answer. You may want to contact Social Security directly at the attached link for more guidance. Cheers… –Christopher http://www.ssa.gov/pgm/reach.htm My mother lives in a house on our property rent free. She does pay us 100 a month for electricity out of her $780 social security that she received (her only income) We paid insurance on the house, contents coverage, cable, water, taxes on the house. We do claim her as a dependent but not those expenses. What form and what of that can we deduct? My sister has lived with us for 7 months and we have provided all her care except medical which she doesn’t go to a DR. Can we claim her on our income tax? She moved in America in Aug 1st 2011.Total months lived in my house only 5 months,not half of the year.Can i still claim her as my dependent? You should be able to claim your parents if you provide for over50 percent of their support. can you claim for your parents even if they live abroad and do not have a social security number? which forms/schedules are required to be completed for this? Newer Comments » Browse Related Articles Family Can I Claim My Parent as a Dependent? Family What Is a Dependent? An Introductory Guide to Dependents Family Can I Claim My Parents as Dependents? Family How Child Support Affects Your Taxes Tax Tips Divorce & Taxes 101: Filing Taxes After a Divorce Deductions and Credits Who Counts as a Dependent for Taxes? 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Since I can claim my mother as a dependent on my taxes, does she still need to file a tax return for her income, as little as it might be?
As of May 2012, we pay nearly 100% of my elderly mother’s living expenses – including her mortgage and utilities. She lives out of state, and receives $730 per month in SSA income per year. We claimed her as a dependent for 2012, but it was disallowed. Before calling the IRS, I am hoping you can let me know what documents or proof I need to have on hand. Thank you.
These are all helpful. My 90year old father moved in after Mom past away and is paying us 1300 per month for rent, medical, personal expenses, so do we claim that as income? Can we still claim him as a dependent?
My father lives in a house that I own. I pay the personal property and up keep on the house. I also pay the water bill for him and repairs to his vehicle. Can I claim him on my taxes. He gets 800 on SS and has no other income. Some times I have to buy him groceries.
my father gets 24,000 from SSDI He lives with me and I pay all household expenses Can I claim him as a dependent
Hi Satie, As long as you pay for over half of his support for things like housing, food, medical, clothing, and other basic necessities you can claim him. TurboTax will ask you the necessary questions to help you. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis
Hi Lisa, My Father stays in India and I’m paying for his all expenses (food, clothing, medical etc..) can I claim these expenses on my fed or state return? Is yes can you tell me how?
My 77 year old mother does not live with me but I pay her electric bill, buy most of her groceries, I gave her a vehicle, which she can’t drive anymore, and purchase most of her clothing. She receives $872 a month on social security and $360 on retirement. Up until reading the blogs I didn’t know claiming her was an option. Would she qualify as a dependent for me. No one else claims her.
My mom and brother get ssi and. Sociall security. They both llive with me and my husband. We tried to claim them on our taxes but our tax guy said we couldnt cuz there ssi will be taken away. Is this true?
Hi Rosa, Since your question is about Social Security benefits and not about income taxes, we can’t provide an answer. You may want to contact Social Security directly at the attached link for more guidance. Cheers… –Christopher http://www.ssa.gov/pgm/reach.htm
My mother lives in a house on our property rent free. She does pay us 100 a month for electricity out of her $780 social security that she received (her only income) We paid insurance on the house, contents coverage, cable, water, taxes on the house. We do claim her as a dependent but not those expenses. What form and what of that can we deduct?
My sister has lived with us for 7 months and we have provided all her care except medical which she doesn’t go to a DR. Can we claim her on our income tax?
She moved in America in Aug 1st 2011.Total months lived in my house only 5 months,not half of the year.Can i still claim her as my dependent?
can you claim for your parents even if they live abroad and do not have a social security number? which forms/schedules are required to be completed for this?