So the IRS did not like that you claimed your 100 cats as dependents. I wonder why? Notice these tips about dependents and exemptions published by the IRS:
Six Important Facts about Dependents and Exemptions
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IRS TAX TIP 2012-07, January 11, 2012
Even though each individual tax return is different, some tax rules affect every person who may have to file a federal income tax return. These rules include dependents and exemptions. The IRS has six important facts about dependents and exemptions that will help you file your 2011 tax return.
- Exemptions reduce your taxable income. There are two types of exemptions: personal exemptions and exemptions for dependents. For each exemption you can deduct $3,700 on your 2011 tax return.
- Your spouse is never considered your dependent. On a joint return, you may claim one exemption for yourself and one for your spouse. If you’re filing a separate return, you may claim the exemption for your spouse only if they had no gross income, are not filing a joint return, and were not the dependent of another taxpayer.
- Exemptions for dependents. You generally can take an exemption for each of your dependents. A dependent is your qualifying child or qualifying relative. You must list the Social Security number of any dependent for whom you claim an exemption.
- If someone else claims you as a dependent, you may still be required to file your own tax return. Whether you must file a return depends on several factors including the amount of your unearned, earned or gross income, your marital status and any special taxes you owe.
- If you are a dependent, you may not claim an exemption. If someone else – such as your parent – claims you as a dependent, you may not claim your personal exemption on your own tax return.
- Some people cannot be claimed as your dependent. Generally, you may not claim a married person as a dependent if they file a joint return with their spouse. Also, to claim someone as a dependent, that person must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national or resident of Canada or Mexico for some part of the year. There is an exception to this rule for certain adopted children. See IRS Publication 501, Exemptions, Standard Deduction, and Filing Information for additional tests to determine who can be claimed as a dependent.
For more information on exemptions, dependents and whether you or your dependent needs to file a tax return, see IRS Publication 501. The publication is available at www.irs.gov or can be ordered by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676). You can also use the Interactive Tax Assistant at www.irs.gov to determine who you can claim as a dependent and how much you can deduct for each exemption you claim. The ITA tool is a tax law resource on the IRS website that takes you through a series of questions and provides you with responses to tax law questions.
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The cats and dogs are not your qualifying child or qualifying relative. I hope this was helpful to you. There are many more issues and questions related to your US income tax return. To speak to a professional with many years of preparing tax returns for the public contact me using my information below.
Jeff Haywood, CPA
972-439-1955
jeff.jhtaxes@gmail.com
This article was written by Jeff Haywood, CPA.
Jeff is a licensed CPA in both Texas and Illinois.
He has prepared income tax returns for the public for over 10 years.
He also has an MBA in Finance from Loyola University in Chicago and he has 24 years experience in Corporate Finance and Business Analysis.
I prepare the following types of tax returns:
Personal
Business
Estates
Trusts
Federal and State Returns
I especially enjoy discussions about you, your business, your dreams and goals.
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In addition here are links to a few of my articles about income taxes for expatriates:
Income Tax Returns for Expatriates
US Income Tax Help for Expatriates
Foreign Earned Income Exclusion
Are You Required to Report Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts?
Click Here to Follow My Twitter Account: Taxesforxpats
For a full list of prior posts see the CPA Tax Blog.
Standard Disclaimer:
As always keep in mind that the content provided on this site is general in nature and may or may not apply to your particular case. It is best to check with a tax professional about your circumstances and what is best for you personally. Also, IRS regulations and tax laws are constantly changing and the information on this site is not constantly updated. Again please check with me about your particular circumstances and what will be best in your situation at the given time and law.
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Why Can’t I Claim My Cats as Dependents?
