 | ||
| ||
| Useful
Links:
IRS.gov Home 1040 Central Help For Hurricane Victims News Essentials What's Hot News Releases IRS - The Basics IRS Guidance Media Contacts Facts & Figures Problem Alerts Around The Nation e-News Subscriptions The Newsroom Topics Multimedia Center Noticias en Español Radio PSAs Tax Scams The Tax Gap Fact Sheets IRS Tax Tips Armed Forces Latest News Home IRS Resources Compliance & Enforcement News Contact My Local Office Filing Options Forms & Pubs Frequently Asked Questions News Taxpayer Advocate Where to File IRS Social Media |
Issue Number: IRS Tax Tip 2015-05Inside This Issue
Top 10 Tax
Facts about Exemptions and Dependents
Nearly everyone can claim an exemption on their tax return. It usually lowers
your taxable income. In most cases, that reduces the amount of tax you owe for
the year. Here are the top 10 tax facts about exemptions to help you file your
tax return.
1. E-file your tax return.
Filing electronically is the easiest way to file a complete and accurate tax
return. The software that you use to e-file will help you determine the number
of exemptions that you can claim. E-file options include free Volunteer Assistance, IRS Free File, commercial software and professional assistance.
2. Exemptions cut income. There
are two types of exemptions. The first type is a personal exemption. The second
type is an exemption for a dependent. You can usually deduct $3,950 for each
exemption you claim on your 2014 tax return.
3. Personal exemptions. You can
usually claim an exemption for yourself. If you’re married and file a joint
return, you can claim one for your spouse, too. If you file a separate return,
you can claim an exemption for your spouse only if your spouse:
• had no gross income,
• is not filing a tax return, and
• was not the dependent of another taxpayer.
4. Exemptions for dependents.
You can usually claim an exemption for each of your dependents. A dependent is
either your child or a relative who meets a set of tests. You can’t claim your
spouse as a dependent. You must list the Social Security number of each
dependent you claim on your tax return. For more on these rules, see IRS Publication 501, Exemptions, Standard Deduction,
and Filing Information. You can get Publication 501 on IRS.gov. Just click on
the “Forms & Pubs” tab on the home page.
5. Report health care coverage.
The health care law requires you to report certain health insurance information
for you and your family. The individual shared responsibility provision
requires you and each member of your family to either:
• Have qualifying health insurance, called minimum essential coverage, or
• Have an exemption from this coverage requirement, or
• Make a shared responsibility payment when you file your 2014 tax return.
Visit IRS.gov/ACA for more on these rules.
6. Some people don’t qualify.
You normally may not claim married persons as dependents if they file a joint
return with their spouse. There are some exceptions to this rule.
7. Dependents may have to file.
A person who you can claim as your dependent may have to file their own tax
return. This depends on certain factors, like the amount of their income,
whether they are married and if they owe certain taxes.
8. No exemption on dependent’s
return. If you can claim a person as a dependent, that person can’t
claim a personal exemption on his or her own tax return. This is true even if
you don’t actually claim that person on your tax return. This rule applies
because you can claim that person is your dependent.
9. Exemption phase-out. The
$3,950 per exemption is subject to income limits. This rule may reduce or
eliminate the amount you can claim based on the amount of your income. See Publication 501 for details.
10. Try the IRS online tool. Use
the Interactive Tax Assistant tool on IRS.gov to see
if a person qualifies as your dependent.
If you found this Tax Tip helpful, please share it through your social media
platforms. A great way to get tax information is to use IRS Social Media. You can also subscribe to IRS Tax Tips or any of our e-news subscriptions.IRS YouTube Videos:
|
No comments:
Post a Comment