Without the form, you cannot claim a child who did not live with you as a dependent because they are the qualifying child of someone else. To include Form 8332 with your return, you must print it and complete it. Mail your return along with Form 8332 to the IRS for processing.

Can you claim an adult child as a dependent if they don’t live with you?

You may be able to claim your grown son or daughter—or other relatives, including half-siblings, uncles and aunts, or in-laws—as dependents, sometimes even if they don’t live with you.

What happens if someone claims you as a dependent illegally?

If you aren’t a dependent and someone else is improperly claiming you as one on their tax return, that person could get in financial trouble with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The same goes for someone incorrectly claiming one of your dependents on their tax return.

What happens if you claim a child on another tax return?

You may receive a letter ( CP87A) from the IRS, stating that your child was claimed on another return. It will tell you that if you made a mistake, to file an amended return, and if you didn’t make a mistake, do nothing. The other person who claimed the dependent will get the same letter.

What happens if you claim a dependent on your taxes?

You get a dependent exemption for that person right off the top. Dependents also can make you eligible for various deductions and tax credits, such as for education expenses, medical bills and child care. If the IRS catches you claiming a bogus dependent, you’ll have to pay the tax you avoided by doing so.

Can a legal resident claim a child as a dependent?

Claiming a Child on Taxes That Is Not Yours. To claim a qualifying child as a tax dependent, the child has to be a U.S. citizen, a legal resident or a resident of Mexico or Canada. The child also can’t be claimed as a dependent by anyone else, and in most cases, she can’t file a joint tax return with someone else.

Can a child be claimed by someone else?

The child also can’t be claimed as a dependent by anyone else, and in most cases, she can’t file a joint tax return with someone else. The qualifying child you are planning to claim also must be related to you.