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Subject Author Date
Senior parent as dependent NewYorker 01-08-2007
Posted by NewYorker on January 8, 2007, 10:17 pm
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 My Dad is over 65 and currently he is in Asia. He plans to
come to US and live with me for certain duration, 6 months
to 1.5 years or until he wants to return and visit other
siblings. The company that I work for let me add him as
dependent as long as I can show the tax filing that I claim
him as dependent.

I need help in figuring out the best time for him to land in
US, in other words, shortest time I need to buy health
insurance from outside.

Reading this article, it doesn't mention the lenght of time
my Dad needed to be with me to be qualified as dependent.
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/tips/20030404a1.asp

Questions:
1. Make me ponder, the best time for him to be in US is
December 2007? So that I can just claim in 2007 filing?
2. There is another article I read from IRS and mentioned
that my Dad has to be with me for more than half a year.
Is it true?
3. If Question 2 is true, does it means half a year during
2007 or half a year before April 15 2008?

TIA.

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Posted by Phil Marti on January 10, 2007, 9:57 pm
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> My Dad is over 65 and currently he is in Asia. He plans to
> come to US and live with me for certain duration, 6 months
> to 1.5 years or until he wants to return and visit other
> siblings. The company that I work for let me add him as
> dependent as long as I can show the tax filing that I claim
> him as dependent.
>
> I need help in figuring out the best time for him to land in
> US, in other words, shortest time I need to buy health
> insurance from outside.
>
> Reading this article, it doesn't mention the lenght of time
> my Dad needed to be with me to be qualified as dependent.
> http://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/tips/20030404a1.asp
>
> Questions:
> 1. Make me ponder, the best time for him to be in US is
> December 2007? So that I can just claim in 2007 filing?
> 2. There is another article I read from IRS and mentioned
> that my Dad has to be with me for more than half a year.
> Is it true?

I don't know what you read, but IRS Publication 501 says
that he must be a US resident at some time during the year.
No minimum time is specified. The year involved is the
calendar year. You don't specify, but I assume he's not a
US citizen.

You also don't mention support. The mere fact that he lives
with you doesn't qualify him as your dependent. All the
tests are explain in Publication 501.

--
Phil Marti
Clarksburg, MD

<< ======================================================= >>
<< The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
<< nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
<< that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
<< to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
<< are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ======================================================= >>

Posted by Herb Smith on January 10, 2007, 10:16 pm
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NewYorker wrote:

> My Dad is over 65 and currently he is in Asia. He plans to
> come to US and live with me for certain duration, 6 months
> to 1.5 years or until he wants to return and visit other
> siblings. The company that I work for let me add him as
> dependent as long as I can show the tax filing that I claim
> him as dependent.
>
> I need help in figuring out the best time for him to land in
> US, in other words, shortest time I need to buy health
> insurance from outside.
>
> Reading this article, it doesn't mention the lenght of time
> my Dad needed to be with me to be qualified as dependent.
> http://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/tips/20030404a1.asp
>
> Questions:
> 1. Make me ponder, the best time for him to be in US is
> December 2007? So that I can just claim in 2007 filing?
> 2. There is another article I read from IRS and mentioned
> that my Dad has to be with me for more than half a year.
> Is it true?
> 3. If Question 2 is true, does it means half a year during
> 2007 or half a year before April 15 2008?

Your dad cannot be your dependent, except under the
following circumstances:

You cannot claim a person as a dependent unless that person
is a US. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national, or a
resident of Canada or Mexico, for some part of the year.

<< ======================================================= >>
<< The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
<< nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
<< that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
<< to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
<< are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ======================================================= >>

Posted by Herb Smith on January 10, 2007, 10:16 pm
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NewYorker wrote:

> My Dad is over 65 and currently he is in Asia. He plans to
> come to US and live with me for certain duration, 6 months
> to 1.5 years or until he wants to return and visit other
> siblings. The company that I work for let me add him as
> dependent as long as I can show the tax filing that I claim
> him as dependent.
>
> I need help in figuring out the best time for him to land in
> US, in other words, shortest time I need to buy health
> insurance from outside.
>
> Reading this article, it doesn't mention the lenght of time
> my Dad needed to be with me to be qualified as dependent.
> http://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/tips/20030404a1.asp
>
> Questions:
> 1. Make me ponder, the best time for him to be in US is
> December 2007? So that I can just claim in 2007 filing?
> 2. There is another article I read from IRS and mentioned
> that my Dad has to be with me for more than half a year.
> Is it true?
> 3. If Question 2 is true, does it means half a year during
> 2007 or half a year before April 15 2008?

After rereading your post, I realized that your dad may
actually be a US citizen or resident (although not clearly
stated), and the residency test would not apply. The
critical test then becomes the Support Test. To meet that
test, you must provide MORE than half of your parent's
support for the whole year. The parent does not actually
have to live with you.

You give no evidence that you are actually giving that level
of support to your father. Support provided by your parent
and/or other relatives has to be considered in the total
support calculation.

<< ======================================================= >>
<< The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
<< nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
<< that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
<< to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
<< are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ======================================================= >>

Posted by NewYorker on January 12, 2007, 7:12 am
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"NewYorker"

> My Dad is over 65 and currently he is in Asia. He plans to
> come to US and live with me for certain duration, 6 months
> to 1.5 years or until he wants to return and visit other
> siblings. The company that I work for let me add him as
> dependent as long as I can show the tax filing that I claim
> him as dependent.
>
> I need help in figuring out the best time for him to land in
> US, in other words, shortest time I need to buy health
> insurance from outside.
>
> Reading this article, it doesn't mention the lenght of time
> my Dad needed to be with me to be qualified as dependent.
> http://www.bankrate.com/brm/itax/tips/20030404a1.asp
>
> Questions:
> 1. Make me ponder, the best time for him to be in US is
> December 2007? So that I can just claim in 2007 filing?
> 2. There is another article I read from IRS and mentioned
> that my Dad has to be with me for more than half a year.
> Is it true?
> 3. If Question 2 is true, does it means half a year during
> 2007 or half a year before April 15 2008?

Clarifications

1. My Dad will be a permanent resident (Green card holder)
of US when he gets here.
2. I will be solely his financial support during his stay
in US.
3. He will live with me.

Thanks Phil and Herb.

<< ======================================================= >>
<< The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, >>
<< nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties >>
<< that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. >>
<< >>
<< The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts >>
<< to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy >>
<< are at www.asktax.org. >>
<< Copyright (2006) - All rights reserved. >>
<< ======================================================= >>

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