Another Tax Question

[tleeburks]

I asked the previous tax question about refunds. So, here is another. My son is 18 and has a 2005 income of 11,000. Can he file single without being claimed as a dependent on our taxes? Everything in my tax program shows ways of how he can be claimed as a dependent:

Not to have reached 19.
Not to have reached 24 and be a full time student (which he is).

My situation is this. If we claim him then we get back refund of $3,000 est. and he gets back 324.00 because he is being claimed as a dependent. That includes in our taxes the $587.00 we have paid (tuition) so far last year that we are claiming. Or.

He can file single, not being claimed by us and we get back $2000 and he gets back 924.00. Obviously the money we get is going straight to IRS anyway, so...... it all looks legal to me. any suggestions.

T.

[Minnymouth]

He can file single, claim himself, and mark he is a full time student also....... thus he will get back just about all he paid in.

Many students work and file their own taxes. Usually get them all back also....

He's old enough, let him file his own and get back of some of what he has paid in instead of it going to IRS....

Just a thought,

[StaciMM]

If he is eligible to be a dependent on your tax form, then he can't claim himself even if you choose not to.

He would file as single, and I believe his standard deduction would be $5,000. He should get back what he paid in, less ~$600 in income taxes owed. (10% of the remaining $6,000.)