Can You Claim a Broke Boyfriend or Girlfriend on Your Taxes?

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to claim your boyfriend or girlfriend this tax season! You can claim a significant other for an exemption of up to $4,400 in 2022. If you supported your loved one throughout the year, it is time for you to get a little money back for your assistance.

Claiming a boyfriend or girlfriend is not part of any loopholes. You must fulfill certain criteria in order to legally be able to claim him/her, but as long as you both meet the qualifications necessary, you can be well on your way to receiving more than you expected this year on your tax return.

How can you claim a significant other?

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) outlines how a person can claim an exemption for a boyfriend or girlfriend. This is done by claiming this person as a qualifying relative, which means he/she was a member of your household throughout the entire year -- 2022.

Here is a breakdown of all the criteria necessary in order to be able to claim a boyfriend or girlfriend on your taxes this year:

• You cannot be claimed as a dependent by anyone else.
• The person must be a U.S. citizen.
• He or she cannot fall under the category as a qualifying child.
• The two of you cannot file taxes jointly.
• Your boyfriend or girlfriend can not have made more than $4,400 in 2022, ($4,700 for 2023).
• Must be able to show proof of residency at same address.
• Your relationship cannot violate local laws (for example, the person cannot be married with someone else).

Different rules apply if the two of you are actually married. This is a way to claim a boyfriend or girlfriend when both of you have lived together, yet are not legally married.

Ways to ensure there are no problems

You can avoid complications when filing taxes by taking some precaution. First, you should have receipts for things like groceries, gas, clothing, and other items associated with the cost of living that shows proof of financial support. Do not worry if you did not save copies of all your receipts, if you're enrolled in online billing, you should easily be able to retrieve this information.

Next, double check that both you and your significant other meet all of the criteria outlined by the IRS for you to be able to claim him or her. If you cannot show proof of residency then you may want to get a sworn statement by your landlord or neighbors indicating that they lived with you all throughout 2022. Just make sure that they change their forwarding address to your home this year, that way if you have to claim them next year you won't run into any complications.

There is hope for your boyfriend or girlfriend to find steady work in 2023 and beyond, especially since unemployment is its lowest in years. Try to remain confident and supportive of his or her endeavors.

Here is some advice for him/her to increase chances in landing an interview and eventually a job.