Can I claim my sister on my taxes?

Question

I live with my dad and younger only sister. My dad is retired on social security and pension from his former employer. My sister is 37 and mentally retarded. She doesn't work and is unable to support herself. 
I work full-time at a min wage job. I pay my own bills and buy food and meds for everyone in the house and dad pays the household bills...basically mortgage and utilities. Depending on finances we sometimes swap out....he pays for some groceries while I pay some of the household bills. 
My dad has more total monthly income than me, mostly from social security which I think is nontaxable. His monthly pension is less than my income.
Can I claim my sister on my taxes?

Sara Ann · Accepted Answer

According to TurboTax's web page, this is what I found: 

..............The IRS allows you to count as a dependent a whole list of relatives who don’t also have to occupy your home, as long as you provide more than half their annual support:

    Children, stepchildren, eligible foster child, grandchildren or great grandchildren
    Siblings, including half or step siblings
    Parents, grandparents, or any other direct ancestors
    Stepparents
    Aunts or uncles
    Nieces or nephews
    Fathers-in-law, mothers-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers-in-law, or sisters-in-law

...........................

So since your sister lives in the home than you can more than claim her. The only thing you have to make sure is that your father isn't claiming her on his but since he receives SS I don't know whether or not he is going to file.  As long as nobody else claims another individual on their taxes and you provide the support you can claim them. Use the above as a reference.

Anonymous · Answer

Can't tell.

Clearly you are hoping to claim her as a qualifying child due to the mental retardation.

In order to claim her, your AGI must be higher than your dad's.  Depending on his pension, up to 85% of his SSA benefits can be taxable.  Even if your income is higher, if dad claims her, you can't.

By the way, your post minimizes what your dad pays towards the household support.  "basically mortgage and utilities" is not an insignificant amount.

Kini · Answer

Your Dad or you can claim your sister on their tax return. Whoever actually supports your sister by paying out an amount equal to more than one-half of her annual income can claim her a tax dependent. If your sister has no income, then either one of you can claim her. Your Dad's social security is not taxable but his pension is. As long as you lived with your sister the whole year you could claim her as a deduction if nobody else is.

Anonymous · Answer

Without having the numbers, Dad could be claiming both of you.

tro · Answer

it would appear it is his household and he would be the one to claim her
you have to be providing more than 50% of her support, and the household maintenance is the biggest part of support which you do not pay
your own bills are that, your own
food and medical could be considered support but would that be more than 50% that you contribute to the overall total

rtfm · Answer

No. You are not paying more than half her support for the entire year.

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Can I claim my sister on my taxes?

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