Claim g/f's mom?

[Possi]

My neighbor was in a car accident that rendered her disabled. Her daughter and daughter's boyfriend live with her and take care of her. Her house was going into foreclosure and b/f is paying all the expenses to keep the house. Her daughter works as a nanny and takes care of her mother. They have lived together for 3 years.

Mother gets non-taxable SSI disability. B/f pays all the bills. But it's technically Mom's mortgages (yes, plural) that b/f is paying.

Mom was my client when she had taxable income, before the accident. I am now doing b/f and daughter's tax returns. I believe b/f can claim Mom as "qualifying relative" for the exemption only, and not HOH filing status.

My only hesitation is that he is paying Mom's mortgages. Now that I'm actually putting this down in words, I do believe he can claim her, regardless of whose mortgage it is.

Did I just answer my own question? Did I get it right?

I'm so glad I have you.  <3

 

Edited March 13, 2017 by Possi
Lived together for 3 years, since the accident.

[Pacun]

I think you have it right. He can claim her if they lived in the same household the whole year, he supported her more than 50% AND she didn't make more than $4,050. He will not be able to claim the mortgage interest or file as HH.

Let me make a twist, what if the old lady was his mother? I believe it will be the same, except that he would be HH.

[Possi]

If he and g/f were married, it would be easier for me, but hey, I'm no proponent. LOL If they were married, Momma wouldn't have to live with them for him to claim her. He could have paid her mortgage and supported her, and he and "wife" could move out! He can afford to do that. He just can't afford to get married. The stress, ya' know? The stress.

He did support everybody, absolutely. The $4050 does not include non-taxable income which is all she gets (SSI). So, I will go with it, filing "single" with one exemption.

[easytax]

If he takes her as a dependent, how does that affect her benefits (SSI, medical, etc.)?    For only an extra exemption, does it pay if other benefits are lost?

 

[Possi]

58 minutes ago, easytax said:

If he takes her as a dependent, how does that affect her benefits (SSI, medical, etc.)?    For only an extra exemption, does it pay if other benefits are lost?

 

She is on disability. It shouldn't affect it at all. It could affect some state benefits, I imagine. Thanks for asking. That might be a deal breaker. The tax payer isn't pushing this, I am. So, he probably won't claim her after all. Nice discussion, though. I wouldn't have thought of the state benefits being affected.