Can I Claim my Girlfriend as a Dependent?

Deductions and Credits

See updated information on how to claim a dependent on your tax return here.

This is one of the top questions we are seeing on TurboTax’s Live Community. Here’s the answer.

If your girlfriend has lived with you for all of 2008, her gross income is less than $3,500, and you’ve provided more than half of her total support, you could claim her as a dependent on your tax return. To determine if you pay for more than half of her support, see IRS Pub 17, page 33, support worksheet .  Each dependent you claim on your 2008 tax return reduces your income by up to $3,500.

If she files a tax return, she would have to answer “yes” to the question “Are you being claimed as a dependent on anyone’s tax return?”  Note: You can’t claim her as a dependent if living together is in violation of your local law.

What if we’re a family of three with our baby daughter?

Since the baby is your child, lived with you for more than half the year, and doesn’t provide more than half of his/her own support (little hard for a baby to do) , you can claim your daughter as your dependent.

What if my girlfriend’s son (from a previous relationship) also lives with us?  Can I claim him as a dependent?

Usually you can’t claim a child as a dependent if the child can qualify as a dependent for someone else (your girlfriend.) However there is a special exception.  If your girlfriend is not required to file a tax return due to low income and she does not file or files solely to get a refund of withheld income, then you can claim her son as your dependent on your tax return.  If she files only to get an earned income credit, you can’t take her son as your dependent.

Do I still file as single since we’re not married?

As long as you’re the one who paid for more than half the cost of keeping up the home where you all are living and your daughter is claimed as your dependent, you can file as head of household.

Note: If your girlfriend and/or her son are the only dependents listed on your tax return, you cannot file as head of household.

Comments (110) Leave your comment

  1. My girl has lived with me for 2 years and my son,but i stay in parents house and i pay them rent .can i claim my girl in my taxes as a dependent as well as my son if i have no proof of me a paying rent just my parents consent.also would age matter as she is under 21.

  2. I have lived with my boyfriend for 2 yrs now. I have my daughter from a previous relationship. He is asking to claim her this year. He has not supported her financially other than provide us with his house. I also contribute to paying some of his bills in his house. Does this mean he can claim my child just because we live in his house?

  3. I have been living together with my fiance for 4years ,I’m the one tha works,and brings the money for the house,in my past job I put that I was married,but we’re not legally married. How would it affect me when its time to do taxes?and how should I report taxes?

    1. Hi George,
      The amount withheld from your paycheck may have been less if you claimed an additional exemption on your W-4 reported to your employer, but you will have to file as single if you were not married in 2014. You may be able to claim her as a dependent if she lived with you the entire year, you provided over half of the support, and she did not make more than $3,950.
      Thank you,
      Lisa Greene-lewis

  4. I think your last paragraph needs to be revised a bit and made more clear it sounds …or at lest i.e. (what you should file if this is the case) Is it single ?

    1. “Note: If your girlfriend and/or her son are the only dependents listed on your tax return, you cannot file as head of household.” Is this not the opposite thing you said in “As long as you’re the one who paid for more than half the cost of keeping up the home where you all are living and your daughter is claimed as your dependent” now what are the difference in these two… the Daughter as opposed to the mom and daughter?

  5. This woman and me lived together for 11 years and she died March 31, 2014. I get SSDI and don’t file income tax but can I file hers even if shes dead?

  6. If i live with my brother, his girlfriend, and his 2 kids and I have my new girlfriend with her daughter move in with all of us, can I claim my girlfriend and baby as dependants on my taxes?

  7. I m single mom and my ex boyfriend left us since i was giving birth to my second baby. I m just wondering why since birth he never try to see nor support my kid. After 3years he called me and asking those non sense question if i m still inlove to him and he had alots of plan to see us but same thing its end up like nothing. And still he change again his number. I was trying my best to contact him and i m still hoping to suppport his daughter. By the way he is a citizen in new york. Bronx. Help please. How can i fight my right to support my kid ?

  8. I rent from my ex husband. I am guardian of our grand child who has a disability. I am not working. Our grandchild’s parent claimed the child as a dependent. Even tho I pay a small fee for rent and my own personal bills, can my ex claim me as a dependent for living in his house and paying the majority of rent and utilities for the year

  9. Hi i worked from the end of August until present but my boyfriend worked all year and we had a baby in June, would it be better for him to claim our son as a dependent by himself or my boyfriend claim our son and I on his taxes while adding my income?

  10. My girlfriend made $6400. But she haven’t worked over 6 months. And I pay for all her needs and baby items. Can I carry her on my taxes? And can I carry our baby if he was born on Jan. 13th?

  11. i have a question if i lived with my boyfriend for 4years and i am on ssi can he claim and he pays most of the bills and we have a 9month son

    1. My son’s girlfriend, her daughter, and her niece whom she has legal custody live with him. The girlfriend receives disability 500.00 a month. The daughter now receives a check because the natural father is also on disability. The niece does not receive anything. It seems the mother of the niece has been getting the checks. Soc Sec is going to prosecute. The mother lives in another state. My accountant is telling us my son cannot claim her daughter or niece even though he provides the roof over theirs heads, and utilities. I believe the girlfriend just pays for food. This does not make since to me.

  12. Can my boyfriend claim me on his taxes as a dependent if we lived together for only 7 month out of this past year but supported me for almost 12 months out of the last year. Would I qualify for him to be able to claim me on his tax return?

  13. My girlfriend and 3 year old son (from a previous relationship) are coming to live with me in the next month as I start my new job. He needs to get surgery on his ears and I was wondering if I could claim him as a dependent on my taxes so he could be under my health insurance.

    She doesn’t work yet, but I assume after a few months she would start. What would happen if I were to claim him and she starts working in a few months? She would make over the allotted 3,500$ for me to claim him as a dependent.

  14. Hi if my son claims me as on his taxes because i am on disability and did not earn any income and i qualify as a dependent what kind of tax break or how will he benifit on his taxes if i am claimed

  15. If I am a dependent, single no kids , and I am a full-time student can I put exempt or single and 1 on my tax form ? Or does it look like I have to fill out all 0s so they take the most taxes out of my check ?

  16. I live in CA and I have a girlfriend ive been supporting for a year and our baby girl that’s 2 months now. She made less than 2,000 dollars this year. We live with my parents however I still pay rent. Would I be able to claim them even though I’m still under my dads insurance?

  17. my boyfriend and I have lived together since the 9th of May, making it about 7 months living together, we also have a four month old together, he is unemployed, am I allowed to claim him and our child on my taxes?

    1. iAM 53, ON DISABILITY. I have lived with Charlie for 8 years and he totally supports me. I receive 800.00 a month which goes to my bills,gas,co-pays. Can he claim me as a depedant?

      1. Hi Sharon,
        If you receive taxable income of more than $3,900 in 2013 he can not claim you. I’m not sure what type of disability plan you have, but if it is taxable then your income exceeds the minimum allowed for him to claim you.
        Thank you,
        Lisa Greene-Lewis

  18. Ms. Reyes My boyfriend and I live together since 2007 n I have 3 kids for my 1st husband n we have 1 kid now. My boyfriends owe a lot to his child support. I didn’t work for the whole year. My boyfriend are claiming me and my 4 kids total. My ? Is If my boyfriend receive a refund can they garnish the whole refund. Like if my boyfriend refund is $3000 can we get half of that or they will take everything. Can I fight for that money for my kids specially for our 1 year old expenses.

  19. My girlfriend and I have a child together. She has lived with me for 4 years. She still receives state health insurance from being unemployed. Can I still claim her on my taxes?

    I do provide health insurance for my daughter.

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