To qualify as a dependent, an individual cannot be what?

To qualify as a dependent, an individual must meet certain criteria set by the IRS. One crucial requirement is that the individual cannot be a qualifying child of any other taxpayer. This rule is in place to prevent multiple taxpayers from claiming the same person as a dependent for tax benefits.

Being a qualifying child means meeting specific relationship, age, residency, and support tests under the dependent rules. If an individual is already regarded as a qualifying child for another taxpayer, they cannot also be claimed by someone else, which secures the integrity of the tax system and ensures that benefits are not duplicated.

Having a permanent resident status in another country, having an age-based exemption, or being segregated by relationship or household does not directly affect the eligibility to claim someone as a dependent in the same critical way that being a qualifying child of another taxpayer does. Thus, the requirement that an individual cannot already be the qualifying child of someone else stands out as a foundational aspect of qualifying as a dependent.