Filed as single and also claimed as dependant?

Question

I filed my taxes as a Single because I live alone by myself but my mom also claimed me as a dependant without me knowing, even though she was not allowed to. Who will get in trouble? How can I get the money I am owed.

Answer 1

"Filed single" has to do with marital status, not dependency.  Did you claim an exemption for yourself on your return?  Who paid the majority of your support?  You or your mother?

Answer 2

Who paid for 51% of your support?  

Whomever that is gets your exemption.

Answer 3

If you are under age 19 or under age 24 and a full-time student, your mother may be able to claim you even unless you paid for over half of your own support.  Your mother does not have to support you to claim you.  You do not have to live with your mother to be her dependent.

If you do not fall into the above category, and you and your mother both took your exemption, the IRS will sort it out through correspondence with both you and your mother.

Neither of you will get in trouble for this, but the person disallowed the exemption will have to pay the tax benefits back, plus interest.

Answer 4

Nobody will get into trouble, but assuming you claimed yourself on your own return, the IRS will investigate and determine who can legally claim you, and the other person will have to pay back whatever they got for claiming you, plus penalties and interest.  It sounds from your question like you have the right to claim yourself, so will eventually get your money.

If you didn't claim yourself though on your original return, you won't get a stimulus check, but then assuming you aren't a dependent for 2008 and you make enough money to be taxed, you'll get a tax break from the stimulus program when you file your taxes next year.

Answer 5

If both of you claimed an exemption for you the IRS will send the last one to have filed a notice that the exemption was already taken.  That person can "appeal" which is to refile a paper return with all of the supporting information to show they are the proper one to take the exemption.  They will send a notice to the other party asking for support of their claim to the exemption.  If the IRS finds in your favor, your mother will have to pay back what ever amount that resulted from claiming you plus penalty and interest on that amount.