When A Housemate Is A Dependent (And A Tax Break)

Could Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) snag a tax break for supporting her slacker boyfriend who?s moved in with her on NBC?s 30 Rock? Maybe. If your boyfriend, grandma or unemployed brother is crashing on your pull-out couch, you might be able to claim them as a dependent on your federal income tax return. Yes, it?s not just children, or even relatives, that can count as dependents, but unrelated friends whom you support and who live with you. The idea is these folks aren?t filing tax returns and taking a personal exemption for themselves. So you add them to your return as a dependent, taking a dependent exemption, and share the wealth.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleaebeling/2012/02/03/when-a-housemate-is-a-dependent-and-a-tax-break/