Yet though each individual tax return is dissimilar, several tax rules concern every individual who could have to file a federal income tax return. These regulations embrace dependents and exemptions. The IRS has six central specifics about dependents and exemptions that should help you filing your 2011 tax return.
Exemptions lower your taxable earnings. There are two forms of exemptions: personal exemptions and exemptions for dependents. For each exemption you are able tosubtract $3,700 on your 2011 tax return.
Your spouse is never thought of as your dependent. On a joint return, you may well state 1 exemption for yourself and 1 for your spouse. If you’re filing a separate return, you may claim the exemption for your spouse only if they had no gross income, will not be filing a joint return, and weren’t the dependent of an alternative taxpayer.
Exemptions for dependents. You commonly might take an exemption for everyof your dependents. A dependent is your qualifying youngster or qualifying family member. You have to recordthe Social Security number of any dependent for whom you claim an exemption.
If somebody else states you as a dependent, you should be obligatory to file your own tax return. Whether you must file a return depends on quite a few factors including the quantity of your unearned, earned or gross income, your marital status and any special you owe.
If you are a dependent, you will not claim an exemption. If somebody else – such as your parent – claims you as a dependent, you may not claim your individual exemption on your personal tax return.
Several folks cannot be claimed as your dependent. Generally, you will possibly not claim a hitched person as a dependent if they file a joint return with their spouse. Also, to claim someone as a dependent, that person must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national or resident of Canada or Mexico for some part of the year. There is an exclusion to this ruling for particular adopted kids. See IRS Publication 501, Exemptions, Standard Deduction, and Filing Information for extra tests to establish who can be claimed as a dependent.

