College tuition and dependent qualification questions...need help

[BigLoser]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California
Hello all and happy tax day...haha

My 21 year old daughter is a full time college student, she lived at home with me for more than half the year. I pay for her college tuition and all living expenses but she earned $19,000 as a waitress in 2016.
Two things:
With that income can I still qualify her as my dependent?
If I can not qualify her as a dependent can I still take the deduction for her tuition which I paid?

Thank you in advance for the help!

 

[xylene]

file an extension and get an accountant

 

[BigLoser]

file an extension and get an accountant

Extension has been filed.

"Hello all and happy tax day...haha

My 21 year old daughter is a full time college student, she lived at home with me for more than half the year. I pay for her college tuition and all living expenses but she earned $19,000 as a waitress in 2016.
Two things:
With that income can I still qualify her as my dependent?
If I can not qualify her as a dependent can I still take the deduction for her tuition which I paid?

Thank you in advance for the help!"

 

[xylene]

The situation you lay out doesn't give enough information to test instantly and easily if can claim her as a dependent. Her income is high, but the support you provide might also be... You need an account to do your family's complex taxes.

 

[BigLoser]

The situation you lay out doesn't give enough information to test instantly and easily if can claim her as a dependent. Her income is high, but the support you provide might also be... You need an account to do your family's complex taxes.

In short, the tax code is written suggesting that who ever pays more than half of the support is entitled to take the exemption. There is no mention of income limits related to her earned income...which is what seems odd to me. Technically she could make 100k per year and as long as she was under the age of 24, living with me, a full time student and I was paying for more than half her support I could still take the exemption.
I was just looking for confirmation and clarity that I am in fact reading the code right?

 

[paddywakk]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California
Hello all and happy tax day...haha

My 21 year old daughter is a full time college student, she lived at home with me for more than half the year. I pay for her college tuition and all living expenses but she earned $19,000 as a waitress in 2016.
Two things:
With that income can I still qualify her as my dependent?
If I can not qualify her as a dependent can I still take the deduction for her tuition which I paid?

Thank you in advance for the help!

As long as she's a full-time student, you can claim her until she's 24. Note that you can't claim her while she claims herself.

Been doing federal student aid for 28 years, this is not an infrequent question.

 

[NIV]

In short, the tax code is written suggesting that who ever pays more than half of the support is entitled to take the exemption. There is no mention of income limits related to her earned income...which is what seems odd to me. Technically she could make 100k per year and as long as she was under the age of 24, living with me, a full time student and I was paying for more than half her support I could still take the exemption.
I was just looking for confirmation and clarity that I am in fact reading the code right?

The hard ceiling of income does not have to do with a child but with other qualifying relatives.

 

[BigLoser]

As long as she's a full-time student, you can claim her until she's 24. Note that you can't claim her while she claims herself.

Been doing federal student aid for 28 years, this is not an infrequent question.

The hard ceiling of income does not have to do with a child but with other qualifying relatives.

Thank you guys for the straight forward answers and willingness to help...MUCH APPRECIATED!

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California
Hello all and happy tax day...haha

My 21 year old daughter is a full time college student, she lived at home with me for more than half the year. I pay for her college tuition and all living expenses but she earned $19,000 as a waitress in 2016.
Two things:
With that income can I still qualify her as my dependent?
If I can not qualify her as a dependent can I still take the deduction for her tuition which I paid?

Thank you in advance for the help!

Much would depend on your income and how many people your income supports. For example, if you make 250k then its feasible that your daughter could make 19k and still be your dependent. However, if you make 35k, and support 2 other people, then there is no way that she is not providing more than 50% of her own support.

The education credit goes with the exemption, so no, if you cannot claim her as a dependent then you cannot claim an education credit for her either.

 

[xylene]

Much would depend on your income and how many people your income supports. For example, if you make 250k then its feasible that your daughter could make 19k and still be your dependent. However, if you make 35k, and support 2 other people, then there is no way that she is not providing more than 50% of her own support.

The education credit goes with the exemption, so no, if you cannot claim her as a dependent then you cannot claim an education credit for her either.

Which the OP's own accountant could tell them exactly if their income was over the line in their professional opinion...

But OP likes simpleton answers. Right OP? hahahahah