Filing taxes can be a stressful time of year for anyone. Even if you have a steady job and work with an accountant, it’s hard to get used to all the changes that come with filing taxes. If you’re a woman who has recently started dating someone but isn’t ready to move in together yet, filing taxes with your boyfriend can seem like an impossible task. But guess what? You can do it! I mean, sure: It takes some work—but not as much work as you might think. Read on for everything I learned about filing taxes with my boyfriend over the last few years:
In this post, we find out the following: Can You File Taxes With Your Boyfriend, can i claim my girlfriend on my taxes if she doesn’t work, how much can i get for claiming my boyfriend as a dependent, and how much will i get back if i claim my girlfriend.
Can You File Taxes With Your Boyfriend
Yes, you can file with your boyfriend, but you need to make sure you do it right.
Yes, you can file taxes with your boyfriend. But if that’s something you want to do, it’s important to make sure you do it right.
First off: Talk to a tax professional. Don’t just assume that since he makes more money than you do, he should pay all the taxes on the two of you as a couple. That might not be the best option for either of you—and don’t forget that there are other considerations besides which person makes more or less money! For instance: You might have different filing statuses (married or unmarried) and therefore need to take different options into account when choosing how to file together.
Secondly: Examine your specific situation before filing any taxes together at all. Even if both people live under the same roof and consider themselves part of an economic unit (something we’ll talk about later), this doesn’t automatically mean they should file their taxes as one unit in every case; some couples may qualify for better benefits by filing separately depending on their individual circumstances—and most importantly, everyone has different situations from person-to-person so it’s always important for partners who plan on living together long term before making any big decisions about how they will handle their finances!
Always talk to a tax professional.
You should always consult a tax professional first. The IRS has specific rules about who can file taxes in different ways, so it’s important to get the right guidance from someone who knows what they’re talking about. Also, your boyfriend might not be aware of certain tax breaks you qualify for, so having a professional help you figure out how to file is vital.
You need to examine your specific situation before filing.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that you need to examine your specific situation before filing. The following questions will help guide you:
- Are you married, single, or divorced? If so, how long were the two of you together?
- Are you filing jointly or separately? If so, why are either of these options more beneficial than the other?
- Do you have children or dependents (i.e., an elderly parent living with you)?
- Does one partner earn significantly more than the other partner (or vice versa)? If so, should that person pay more taxes on their income since they make more money per year than their partner does? Why or why not?
Make sure you both qualify for the same options.
The IRS has procedures in place to ensure that you and your boyfriend both qualify for the same options. If you do not meet these requirements, then you will have to file separately.
In order for couples to be able to file jointly, they must meet the following criteria:
- Make sure that you and your boyfriend are legally married or considered legally married under state law.
- Be at least 18 years old during the year in question (as determined by birthdates). This rule may apply differently depending on whether one of you was born before January 2nd, 1954.
- No one who’s claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return can also be claimed as a dependent by either partner on their own return(s). If a child is born during the year they turn 19 years old; they’re no longer eligible for being claimed as dependents by either parent/guardian on their taxes until after reaching 20 years old again–it’s up to whichever parent wants him/her back first! But remember–there are only two exemptions allowed per taxpayer (so if both people want kids without having any income coming in from anywhere else other than social security then this wouldn’t work out too well).
Don’t rush into anything and read your tax forms carefully!
You should definitely be aware of the fact that not everyone can file taxes together. Your boyfriend needs to have a Social Security number in order for this to work. You both need to meet the same income requirements, and lastly, if you are under age 65 years old and married filing jointly, your husband or wife must have been a U.S. citizen or resident alien all year; if they were not then it doesn’t matter how long they lived in this country because you won’t qualify either!
If one of those things doesn’t apply then don’t worry! It’s still possible for some people to file taxes with their significant other — even if they don’t meet any of those requirements above (except maybe citizenship). For example: two roommates who live together could both claim their rent as deductions on their return just like any other homeowner would receive when filing jointly with their spouse or partner.”
Filing taxes with your boyfriend can be done, but only if you know how.
Filing taxes with your boyfriend can be done, but only if you know how. You’ll need to talk to a tax professional and examine your specific situation. Make sure that the two of you qualify for the same options. Don’t rush into anything and read your tax forms carefully!
can i claim my girlfriend on my taxes if she doesn’t work
Under tax reform, you can no longer claim a dependent exemption beginning with tax year 2018, but you still need to know who qualifies as your dependent for other tax benefits like the Other Dependent Credit worth up to $500 for dependents who are considered non-child dependents.
Are you living with your girlfriend or boyfriend? Have you ever wondered whether or not you could claim him or her on your tax return as a dependent? Like many things in life, it depends. Even if it feels like an awkward thing to wonder, it’s worth the ask.
A boyfriend or girlfriend can be claimed as a dependent if they pass some of the same tests used to determine if your child or relative can be claimed as a dependent.
First, your significant other cannot be claimed as a dependent if they are eligible to be claimed as a dependent on another tax return. Whether your boyfriend or girlfriend is being claimed is irrelevant, it’s the eligibility that matters. Once you see the rules, especially the residency, and support rules, this will make perfect sense. So, if your significant other’s parents could claim him or her, you cannot. Your significant other also must be a U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico.
If he or she passes those rules, these four “tests” will need to be passed to qualify as a dependent. He or she:
As you can see, the tests make it impossible for someone to be claimed as a dependent on two returns. Either you provided their support or someone else did.
If you and your significant other are living together and considering this route, there are also other ways you can save a lot of money by integrating your finances, without getting married. For example, you could combine auto insurance policies for a multi-car discount. It might not be as romantic as getting married, but it could result in big savings over the course of a year!
Don’t worry about knowing these tax laws. No matter what your situation or how you want to file, TurboTax has you covered. With TurboTax you can do your taxes yourself, get help from an expert along the way or hand them off from start to finish to a dedicated tax expert.
how much can i get for claiming my boyfriend as a dependent
Your partner must actually live with you in your home to qualify as your dependent. They can’t maintain their own residence, not even for a week or a month. Their address must be your address throughout all 365 days of the tax year.
Temporary absences are okay, however. Your partner might be hospitalized, incarcerated, or serving in the military. Maybe they’ve taken an extended vacation. That’s fine, as long as they intend to return to your home after these events—and they actually do so.
Some qualifying relatives don’t actually have to live with you, but this rule is reserved for literal relatives, which your partner is not.
Note
Your parent is an example of a relative who doesn’t have to live with you.
You can’t claim your partner as a dependent for that tax year if they move in with you in March, but you can claim them in the next year if they’re still living with you on January 1, and they remain with you all through that year—assuming they meet the other qualifying rules.
Income and Support Factors
Your partner must effectively live with you because they can’t afford to live on their own, and this can’t be just an objective opinion. The IRS imposes actual income limits.
They can’t earn more than $4,300 as of the 2021 tax year—the tax return you’ll file in 2022. This figure is adjusted for inflation, so it can be expected to increase periodically. It used to be equal to the amount of the personal exemption that was available each year, but the exemption itself has been reduced to zero through 2025 under the terms of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).
This is your partner’s gross income, not their taxable income after claiming various deductions. Certain tax-exempt sources of income, such as Supplemental Security, don’t count toward the total, but unearned income such as interest or dividends does.
Note
You must also pay for more than half of their yearly support: their share of the rent or principal mortgage payment, utilities, food, clothing, and other “essential” expenses. Paying 50% of these costs isn’t sufficient—it must be more than 50%.
You can’t claim your partner as a dependent if $600 of your monthly budget is attributable to them and they contribute their limited income of $345 a month, because $345 represents more than 57% of their $600 share of your living expenses. But you can claim them if $1,000 of your budget is dedicated to their support, because now they’re paying $345, and you’re paying $655 a month, which comes out to more than 65%.
If Your Partner Is Married
Your partner must file a separate married return, not a joint return with their spouse if they’re still legally married to someone else because their divorce isn’t final yet. Neither your partner nor their spouse can owe taxes if they file separate married returns.
Note
An exception exists if they’re filing jointly simply to claim a refund of all taxes withheld from their pay.
The IRS additionally says that your relationship with your partner must be “legal” in the state where you reside. This doesn’t mean you have to get married or enter into a recognized domestic partnership, but it could be a problem if your partner is still legally married to someone else, and you live in a state where it’s illegal to cohabit with a partner who’s married to someone other than you.
A Few Other Rules
Your partner must also be a U.S. citizen, national, or resident alien, or a resident of Canada or Mexico. Of course, establishing residency in those countries would probably mean they’re not living with you full-time, so as a practical matter, they wouldn’t be your dependent.
Finally, no one else can claim your partner as a dependent. The Internal Revenue Code provides that only one taxpayer can claim the same individual as a dependent per tax year.
Advantages of Having a Dependent
It used to be that you could slash $4,050 off your taxable income in the form of a personal exemption for each dependent you could claim in 2017. Then the TCJA eliminated personal exemptions from the tax code beginning in 2018. The TCJA remains in effect through 2025.
Note
The TCJA is set to “sunset” or expire in December 2025, but it’s possible Congress could renew some or all of its terms, so there’s no guarantee that personal exemptions will come back at that time.
You might still qualify for other tax breaks related to having a dependent, however. The credit for other dependents is worth $500 per qualifying dependent. Tax credits are particularly beneficial because, unlike tax deductions, they come directly off any tax you owe to the IRS, dollar for dollar. Deductions only reduce your taxable income.
Qualifying as Head of Household
You’d qualify as head of household anyway if you’re already supporting a child or other dependent, but otherwise, claiming your partner as a dependent can increase your standard deduction to $18,800 as of the 2021 tax year, and $19,400 for tax year 2022. The standard deduction for single filers is $12,550 for tax year 2021 and $12,950 for tax year 2022.
There are a few other rules for qualifying as a head of household in addition to having at least one dependent. Many of them mirror the same rules for claiming your partner as a dependent anyway, however:
This six-month rule would disqualify your partner as your dependent anyway, assuming they weren’t living with you and your spouse at the same time.
how much will i get back if i claim my girlfriend
You can claim a boyfriend or girlfriend as a dependent on your federal income taxes if that person meets the IRS definition of a “qualifying relative.”
Claiming a partner as a dependent
You can claim a boyfriend or girlfriend as a dependent on your federal income taxes if that person meets the Internal Revenue Service’s definition of a “qualifying relative.”
Don’t get tripped up by the word “relative” here—according to the IRS, it can include an unrelated person who passes the four following tests concerning:
Is your partner an official resident?
Your partner must be a member of your household, meaning that they lived with you for the entire calendar year.
The law makes exceptions for temporary absences, such as vacations and medical treatment, but your home must have been that person’s official residence for the full year.
However, if your living situation violates local law, you cannot claim that individual as a dependent. In some states, “cohabitation” by unmarried people is against the law.
How much does your partner earn?
If your partner has gross income above a certain amount, you cannot claim that person as a dependent.
How much money do you spend on your partner?
You must have paid more than half of your partner’s living expenses during the calendar year for which you want to claim that person as a dependent.
When calculating the total amount of support, you must include money and support that you and other people provided as well as the individual’s own funds.
In other words, if your partner took money from a savings account to pay for food, housing or other living expenses, and the total amount withdrawn is more than half of the person’s living expenses, you cannot claim them as a dependent.
Are you the only person claiming your partner as a dependent?
If your partner is already being claimed as a dependent by another person, you can’t also claim them as a dependent. Only one person (or tax return, in the case of married couples filing jointly) may claim a specific tax dependent in any given tax year. Also, you cannot generally claim a married person as a dependent if they file a joint return with their spouse.
Online help
The IRS website offers an online “assistant” that can help you determine whether your boyfriend or girlfriend qualifies as a dependent.
Of course, if you prepare your taxes with TurboTax, we’ll ask simple questions about your living situation, and tell you exactly who can and cannot be claimed as your dependent.
Let an expert do your taxes for you, start to finish with TurboTax Live Full Service. Or you can get your taxes done right, with experts by your side with TurboTax Live Assisted. File your own taxes with confidence using TurboTax. Just answer simple questions, and we’ll guide you through filing your taxes with confidence. Whichever way you choose, get your maximum refund guaranteed.
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The above article is intended to provide generalized financial information designed to educate a broad segment of the public; it does not give personalized tax, investment, legal, or other business and professional advice. Before taking any action, you should always seek the assistance of a professional who knows your particular situation for advice on taxes, your investments, the law, or any other business and professional matters that affect you and/or your business.