I’m currently trying to find my own insurance and the worker said my eligibility is based on whether my parents claim(ed) me as a dependent on their taxes. I’ve asked my mom via text and she seems to be avoiding the question..
About me: 24 years old, part time masters student, only home at my parents for max 2 weeks of the year, only really get help from them for my car, work 3 jobs enough to be considered full time
I’m really wishing they didn’t because that would be the easiest case scenario but if they claimed me as a dependent last year but won’t this year, what do I tell the health insurance company? Does it matter if they claimed me last year or only if they will claim me this year?
How to know if parents claimed me as a dependent?
byu/No-Bird-6118 inInsurance
Posted by No-Bird-6118
2 Comments
How did you file your taxes last year?
Filing your own tax return does not automatically mean you can’t be claimed as a dependent. You can file your own return and still be a dependent if your parents meet the IRS dependency rules.
What actually matters is whether your parents provided more than half of your financial support for the year and whether they intend to claim you. Living with them full-time isn’t required, but support is the big factor.
For health insurance, they usually care about whether you expect to be claimed for the current tax year, not whether you were claimed last year. If your parents claimed you last year but won’t this year, you should tell the insurer that you will not be claimed going forward.
If you’re covering most of your own expenses (housing, food, tuition, etc.) and only get limited help like car-related costs, there’s a good chance you don’t qualify as a dependent anyway.
If your mom won’t give a clear answer, you can ask the insurer what documentation they need. Ultimately, only one side can legally claim you, and if your parents aren’t eligible, they shouldn’t be claiming you.