Making sure you claim all of your eligible dependents is an easy way to lower your taxes. Each dependent you claim will increase the total amount of exemptions you can apply to your tax return (a benefit of $3,650 per person for the 2009 tax year). Additionally, the number or type of dependents you can claim will affect your eligibility for certain tax credits. It’s also important to make sure you’re not claiming ineligible people as your dependents so you don’t get in trouble with the IRS. Here’s what you need to know:

Who Are Dependents?

       Dependents are either a qualifying child or qualifying relative who depend on you, the taxpayer, for at least 50% of their support (among other qualifications). The key phrase is “qualifying”, which means that they qualify according to the IRS definition – not yours. Just because someone lives with you doesn’t mean they’re automatically your dependent. There are specific requirements they must meet before you can claim them as a dependent on your tax return.

       While the requirements for a qualifying child and qualifying relative are similar, there are some tests that are specific to each type of dependent. We’ll look at the tests for a qualifying child first, and then we’ll look at the tests for a qualifying relative. This can get a bit complicated, so I’ll try to keep it simple and link to IRS resources for the exceptions.

What Are the Tests for a Qualifying Child?

       Use this series of questions to determine if a person can be considered a qualifying child for your tax return.

1. Was the person younger than you or permanently and totally disabled?
    
   If YES, go to question #2. If NO, go down to the tests for a qualifying relative.

 

2. Was the person your son, daughter, stepchild, adopted child, eligible foster child, brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, stepsister, or a descendant of any of those?
    
   If YES, go to question #3. If NO, go down to the tests for a qualifying relative.

 

3. Was the person under age 19 at the end of the year? OR Was the person under age 24 at the end of the year and a full-time student for some part of each of five months during the year? OR Was the person permanently and totally disabled (regardless of age)?
    
   If YES, go to question #4. If NO, go down to the tests for a qualifying relative.

 

4. Did the person provide over half of their own support for the year? Click here to read through the IRS definition of support.
    
   If NO, go to question #5. If YES, you can’t claim this person as your dependent.

 

5. Did the person live with you as a member of your household for more than half of the year? Note: There are special exceptions for kidnapped children, children that were born or died during the year, certain temporary absences, and children of divorced, separated, or never married parents. Click here to read about the exceptions.
    
   If YES, go to question #6. If NO, you can’t claim this person as your dependent.

 

6. Was the person a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or a resident of the U.S., Canada, or Mexico?
    
   If YES, go to question #7. If NO, you can’t claim this person as your dependent. Answer YES if you are a U.S. citizen or national and your adopted child lived with you as a member of your household for the year.

 

7. Was the person considered legally married as of the end of the year (December 31)?
    
   If YES, go to question #8. If NO, go to question #9.

 

8. Is the person filing a joint tax return for this year?
    
   If NO, go to question #9. If YES, you can’t claim this person as a dependent. You can answer NO if the person is filing a joint return to claim a refund and no tax liability would have existed for either spouse if they had filed separate returns.

 

9. Is the person a qualifying child of any other person?
    
   If NO, go to question #10. If YES, you can’t claim this person as a dependent unless you are the person entitled to claim the person as a qualifying child (read the IRS guidelines for the special test for a qualifying child of more than one person – you’ll have to scroll down to it).

 

10. Can you or your spouse (if filing jointly) be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return this year? Note: This applies even if the person chooses not to claim you. You must answer YES if they have the option to claim you (or your spouse) as a dependent.
     
    If NO, you can claim this person as your dependent. If YES, you can’t claim anyone as your dependent – no exceptions.

Well that was fun! Now let’s look at the tests for a qualifying relative.

What Are the Tests for a Qualifying Relative?

       Use this series of questions to determine if a person can be considered a qualifying relative for your tax return.

1. Is the person your qualifying child or the qualifying child of anyone else?
    
   If NO, go to question #2. If YES, this person is not your qualifying relative (you should go back up to the tests for a qualifying child).

 

2. Is the person your son, daughter, adopted child, foster child, or a descendant of any of those? OR Is the person your brother, sister, or a son or daughter of either of them? OR Is the person your father, mother, or an ancestor or sibling of either of them? OR Is the person your half brother, half sister, stepbrother, stepsister, stepfather, stepmother, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law?
    
   If NO, go to question #3. If YES, go to question #4. Note: None of the relatives listed in this question have to live with you in order to qualify as your dependent.

 

3. Was the person any other person (besides your spouse) who lived with you all year as a member of your household? Note: There are special exceptions for kidnapped children, children that were born or died during the year, certain temporary absences, and children of divorced, separated, or never married parents. Click here to read about the exceptions.
    
   If NO, you can’t claim this person as your dependent. If YES, go to question #4. Note: A person doesn’t meet this test if at any time during the year your relationship with that person violates local law.

 

4. Was the person a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or a resident of the U.S., Canada, or Mexico?
    
   If YES, go to question #5. If NO, you can’t claim this person as your dependent. Answer YES if you are a U.S. citizen or national and your adopted child lived with you as a member of your household for the year.

 

5. Did the person have gross taxable income of less than $3,650 in 2009?
    
   If YES, go to question #6. If NO, you can’t claim this person as your dependent.

 

6. Did you provide more than half of the person’s total support for the year? Click here to read through the IRS definition of support.
    
   If YES, go to question #11. If NO, go to question #7.

 

7. Did another person provide more than half of the person’s total support for the year?
    
   If NO, go to question #8. If YES, you can’t claim this person as your dependent.

 

8. Did two or more people together provide more than half of the person’s total support?
    
   If YES, go to question #9. If NO, you can’t claim this person as your dependent.

 

9. Did you provide more than 10% of the person’s total support for the year?
    
   If YES, go to question #10. If NO, you can’t claim this person as your dependent.

 

10. Did the other person(s) providing more than 10% of the person’s total support for the year provide you with a signed statement (Form 2120 – Multiple Support Declaration) agreeing not to claim the exemption?
     
    If YES, go to question #11. If NO, you can’t claim this person as your dependent.

 

11. Was the person considered legally married as of the end of the year (December 31)?
     
    If YES, go to question #12. If NO, go to question #13.

 

12. Is the person filing a joint tax return for this year?
     
    If NO, go to question #13. If YES, you can’t claim this person as a dependent. You can answer NO if the person is filing a joint return to claim a refund and no tax liability would have existed for either spouse if they had filed separate returns.

 

13. Can you or your spouse (if filing jointly) be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return this year? Note: This applies even if the person chooses not to claim you. You must answer YES if they have the option to claim you (or your spouse) as a dependent.
     
    If NO, you can claim this person as your dependent. If YES, you can’t claim anyone as your dependent – no exceptions.

       That covers all the tests for a qualifying child or qualifying relative. I can’t say that was particularly fun for me, and I’m sure it wasn’t for you. But like I said before, it’s important to make sure you’re claiming all the people you can and only those people you’re allowed to claim. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments and I’ll do my best to help you!

More Free Tax Saving Tips!

       If you want to learn more ways to (legally) reduce your taxes, sign up for free updates to Provident Planning. It’ll only cost you a minute of your time, but you might just learn how to save yourself hundreds or thousands of dollars!

       You can lower your taxable income by remembering to deduct the student loan interest you have paid for the year. Deducting that interest can reduce your taxable income by as much as $2,500. Additionally, it will lower your adjusted gross income (AGI) and possibly make you eligible for even more deductions and credits. Here’s what you need to know:

What Counts as Student Loan Interest?

       Student loan interest is the interest you paid on a qualified student loan. There are a few requirements to meet before a loan can be considered a qualified student loan:

1. It must be a loan taken out solely to pay qualified education expenses (tuition, fees, room, board, books, supplies, equipment, and other necessary expenses for attending an eligible education institution – a college, university, vocational, or other postsecondary institution eligible to participate in a student aid program administered by the Department of Education).

 

2. The expenses must have been for you, your spouse, or a person who was your dependent when you took out the loan.

 

3. The expenses must have been paid within a reasonable amount of time before or after you took out the loan. This means the expenses must relate to a specific semester or period of study and the loan proceeds were disbursed any time within the three months before the semester began or three months after the semester ended.

 

4. The expenses were for a student who was enrolled at least half-time according to the school’s standard.

 

5. The loan can’t be from your spouse, brothers, sisters, half brothers, half sisters, ancestors, or descendants. It also can’t come from certain corporations, partnerships, trusts, exempt organizations, or a qualified employer plan (like a 401(k) or similar program).

       If your loan meets all those criteria, you can deduct any interest you pay as student loan interest up to $2,500 per year. Most standard student loans will meet all of these criteria.

Can You Claim the Deduction?

       You can claim the deduction as long as:

1. You’re not filing married filing separately.

 

2. No one else is claiming you as their dependent on their tax return.

 

3. You are legally obligated to pay interest on a qualified student loan.

 

4. You actually paid interest on a qualified student loan.

       You can even count interest paid by other people on your behalf if you’re the person who’s legally obligated to make the payments. The payments other people make are considered gifts to you, and you are treated as if you are paying the interest.

How Much Can You Deduct?

       For the 2009 tax year, the amount of student loan interest you can deduct is generally the smaller of:

• $2,500, or

 

• The amount of interest you paid in 2009

       However, the amount you can deduct is gradually reduced if your AGI before taking the student loan interest deduction is:

• Between $60,000 and $75,000 if you’re filing single, head of household, or qualifying widower, or

 

• Between $120,000 and $150,000 if you’re filing married filing jointly

       If your AGI is over $75,000 or $150,000 (depending on your filing status), then you’re out of luck. No student loan interest deduction for you. To figure out your allowable deduction, you can use this IRS worksheet (at the bottom of the page). (Or you could just use tax prep software…)

Where Do You Claim the Deduction?

       To claim the deduction, enter the allowable amount on line 33 (Form 1040), line 18 (Form 1040A), line 32 (Form 1040NR), or line 9 (Form 1040NR-EZ).

More Free Tax Saving Tips!

       If you want to learn more ways to (legally) reduce your taxes, sign up for free updates to Provident Planning. It’ll only cost you a minute of your time, but you might just learn how to save yourself hundreds or thousands of dollars!

       A new law passed on January 22 allows people who donate to charities providing earthquake relief in Haiti to claim those donations on their 2009 tax returns. Only cash contributions made after January 11, 2010 and before March 1, 2010 are eligible. This includes contributions made by text message, check, credit card or debit card. Obviously, this only benefits taxpayers who itemize their deductions.

       All you have to do is claim the donations on Schedule A of your 2009 tax return just as if they were made in 2009. You are still required to keep a receipt with your tax records. If you made a donation by text message, you can keep a copy of your phone bill as your tax receipt. If you gave a cash contribution, you’ll need either a receipt from the charity, a canceled check, or a bank statement. Finally, remember that this law is only for cash contributions – non-cash contributions do not qualify for this special treatment.

       So you’ve still got a couple weeks to make charitable donations that you can count for 2009 – as long as they’re for Haiti earthquake relief efforts. However, be very careful about which charities you give to as many scammers are taking advantage of the situation and stealing donations using false charities. Your best option is to stick with well-known charities or charities you’ve donated to in the past. Make sure you initiate the donation yourself rather than giving out your information on the phone or via email. A couple of suggestions I can give you for good charities are Mennonite Central Committee and YWAM Haiti Relief Fund.

       As you know, I was in Haiti on a short-term mission trip just a few days after the earthquake happened. I met many great people while I was there, so I’m interested to hear how you’re helping the people of Haiti. Share your story in the comments if you’d like!

       If you spend much time reading personal finance advice for Christians (either on Provident Planning or somewhere else), you’ll probably start to realize that it’s not all that different from other personal finance advice. Most of the good advice for Christians applies equally to non-Christians as well. Stick to a budget, spend less than you earn, avoid excessive debt, keep an emergency fund, minimize your taxes, don’t buy insurance you don’t need, save for the future – none of those things are particularly Christian in nature.

       There may be some points in which Christian personal finance and secular personal finance will differ, but, generally speaking, good personal finance advice is the same regardless of your religion. The difference – and this is a major difference – is in the ultimate purpose, the final goal, of following that good advice.

       As far as the world is concerned, it makes sense to make smart personal finance decisions because that’s what is best for you. Good money management will help you meet your goals, maximize your wealth, and get the most out of the money you’ve earned. And according to the world, that’s what you should do with your money. Use it for the things you want. Use it to meet your goals and fulfill your dreams.

       But for Christians, making smart decisions in our finances is not important just so we can maximize our wealth and meet all our desires. Our purpose is not to find fulfillment in this world and the things it offers. Our purpose is to honor and glorify God – to serve Him with our entire being in everything we do. Our goal is to do His will. And part of God’s will for us is to share His love by caring for those in need through generous giving. We don’t try to maximize our wealth for our own use. We try to maximize our wealth for God’s use.

       I want you to remember this as you read the articles I write. Many times there won’t be a Bible verse in a post. Personal finance in the Bible is more about the principles that should govern our decisions – not specific applications (like how to get out of debt). But it’s very important that we remember the purpose of seeking and following good financial advice.

       When I talk about spending less, it’s so we’ll have more to give. When I talk about earning more money, it’s so we’ll have more to give. When I talk about making smart financial choices, it’s so we’ll have more to give. It all comes back to giving – giving motivated by love that flows out of our response to God’s Gift to us.

       Yes, making good financial decisions will have benefits for you personally. But our focus as Christians is on the benefits those decisions will have for the Kingdom. In our efforts to follow good financial advice, let’s keep our eyes focused on Christ and our minds focused on how we can serve Him fully.

       The advice we follow may not be all that different from non-Christians. But the motivation, goals, and results should be very, very different. And that difference will serve as a witness for the power of God’s love working in our lives.

       What do you think makes Christian personal finance different? Let me know in the comments!

       If your income falls in the low to middle range, you can get your tax returns prepared for free. How? By using AARP’s Tax-Aide Program.

What Is AARP Tax-Aide?

       AARP Tax-Aide is the nation’s largest, volunteer-run tax preparation and assistance program. It’s part of the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) Programs. It is available to taxpayers with low and moderate incomes and gives special attention to people age 60 and older.

How Low Does My Income Need to Be?

       The IRS refers to moderate income as $50,000 or lower, but as an AARP Tax-Aide volunteer I can tell you this guideline is loosely followed. If you make $60,000/year, you’ll probably still be able to get help.

Not for Complex Returns

       If you have rental properties, a Schedule C (not C-EZ), a complex Schedule D, a Schedule F, or an otherwise complicated tax return, then AARP Tax-Aide (or any VITA program) is not for you. You should hire an experienced tax preparer – preferably a CPA.

Where Can I Go for Help?

       If you’d like to find an AARP Tax-Aide location near you, you can find one on their website starting in late January. If you can’t find an AARP Tax-Aide location near you, you can try calling 1-800-829-1040 to locate a VITA location near you.

How Well-Trained Are the Volunteers?

       AARP does not let just anyone volunteer for the Tax-Aide program. All volunteers are required to undergo a thorough training course mandated and created by the IRS. They are well-trained in how to handle the 1040 Form and the standard schedules.

       You may also find that many of the volunteers have a background in tax preparation or finance. For example, I volunteer and I’ve had two years of professional tax preparation experience. The local coordinator for my volunteer site was a CPA before she retired, and we had at least one other CPA volunteer last year. So the help you get may be quite good.

Can I File Electronically (E-file)?

       Electronic filing with direct deposit is the fastest way to get your tax refund from the IRS. Most AARP Tax-Aide sites offer electronic filing with no charge to the taxpayer. Many more sites are gaining the capabilities to e-file every year.

What If I Just Have a Tax Question?

       AARP offers free, year-round tax assistance via the Web for 24/7 help. You can find more information at the AARP Tax-Aide website.

I’d Like to Help! How Can I Volunteer?

       If you’d like to volunteer with AARP’s Tax-Aide program to help with the 2009 tax season, there’s still plenty of time. Go to their website to read more about becoming a volunteer and to fill out a volunteer form.

       Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying “a penny saved is a penny earned”. And others have discovered that a penny saved is more than a penny earned. But did you know a penny saved can be worth nearly two pennies earned? Before you dismiss money-saving activities as “not worth your time”, you need to consider just how much of your earnings goes to taxes.

If You’re Not Self-Employed…

       If you’re not self-employed, you’ll pay your marginal federal income tax rate, 7.65% for FICA, plus any applicable state or local income taxes on any money you earn. Add all of these up and you’ll get a total tax rate anywhere from 17.65% up to 51.65%. You may also have to pay sales tax on the things you buy (as opposed to making or doing them yourself).

       The chart below shows just how much a dollar you earn is worth after taxes depending on your marginal federal tax rate, FICA, and state and local income and sales taxes. I only went up to the 25% tax bracket on the federal side, and I used the national average rates for the state and local income and sales taxes.





       Most people will probably fall in the 15% federal tax bracket. If you’ve got state & local income taxes and sales taxes and you’re in the 15% federal bracket, then every dollar you can save is equal to $1.49 if you had earned it. You lose $0.29 to taxes from every dollar you earn, and then you’ll pay another 6% sales tax (on average) when you spend the money. In this case, a penny saved is worth 1.5 pennies earned.

If You’re Self-Employed…

       Entrepreneurs have the extra burden of the self-employment tax to pay on their earned dollars. However they do get to take a tax deduction for one-half of the self-employment (SE) taxes, so their SE tax rate works out to 14.13%. So a self-employed person could automatically lose anywhere from 24.13% to 58.13% in federal, SE, state, and local income taxes for every dollar they earn. And they’ll still have to pay any applicable sales tax on top of that. The high-earning self-employed people can easily say “a penny saved is two pennies earned”.

       I put together a chart for self-employed people similar to the one above. The only difference is the substitution of the SE tax for the FICA tax.





       As you can see, a dollar saved is almost worth two dollars earned for someone in the 25% federal bracket who has to pay state and local income and sales taxes. They’ll lose $0.45 to taxes on every dollar they earn, and then they’ll pay another 6% sales tax when they spend the money that’s left over.

Why This Matters

       Realizing how much you pay in taxes is key in figuring out if it’s worth it to do something yourself or pay someone else to do it for you. You’ve got to know your after-tax hourly rate to be able to compare it to how much you’d save by doing it yourself.

       For instance, let’s go back to the first chart for people who aren’t self-employed. If your federal tax rate is 15% and you have state and local income taxes of 6%, you’re going to lose almost $0.30 to taxes (including FICA) for every dollar you earn. That means if you’re getting paid $20/hour you’re only taking home $14/hour after taxes for each extra hour you work.

       Now let’s say you can pay $25 to have your oil changed, or you can do it yourself for $13 (a savings of $12) plus your time. If it takes you 15 minutes, your hourly rate for doing it yourself is $48/hour. If it takes you 30 minutes, you’re saving $24/hour. And even if it takes you 45 minutes, you’ll still save the equivalent of $16/hour. Now compare that to your after-tax hourly rate from your job ($14/hour), and you can easily see that it makes sense (by the numbers) to change your oil yourself.

       You can apply this logic to any number of money-saving activities to see if it makes sense to do it yourself. In the case above, anything that saves you at least $0.23/minute you spend doing it is worth your time. So taking 10 minutes to make an extra stop at a different grocery store can be a smart financial choice if you’re going to save at least $2.30.

       Understanding that saving money can be more effective than earning it will also help you realize the importance of being frugal. I’m not saying that being frugal is better than earning more money, but it’s a powerful tool and you’d be foolish to refuse using it. Combining frugality with earning more will help you get out of debt, save more, or give more.

How Much Is a Dollar Saved Worth to You?

       Because this greatly depends on your tax rates, I’ve created a little calculator below that you can use to figure out how much a dollar saved is worth to you. Try it out and let me know your results in the comments!

       A reader recently left a comment on my post discussing how much you should have in your emergency fund. Frank said:

Could you please show me in Scripture where it says believers are to have an emergency fund?

Thank you.

       I responded to Frank’s question in the comments, but I think this is an important enough issue to address in its own post.

       Not all personal finance advice can be backed up with a specific quote from Scripture. Does that mean it is bad or unchristian? Not in the least. If the advice follows the pattern of teaching and wisdom in the Bible, it can still be considered good advice for Christians despite the lack of a specific Biblical reference.

       For example, is there a specific Bible verse telling you that you should create a will? No. But it’s still a wise thing to do. Is there a specific Bible verse that tells us to update our résumés? Again, the answer is no, but that doesn’t change the validity of the advice.

       This concept doesn’t apply just to personal finance. Is there a Bible verse telling us to buckle our seat belts? Nope. But does that mean you’re trusting your seat belt more than God if you buckle it? What about looking both ways before you cross the street? Do you lack faith because you do this?

       The problem with applying the “show me in the Scriptures” test is that there is not specific advice for every single situation we will encounter in life. There are guiding principles and values that, along with God’s Holy Spirit, will help us discern the wise choices. But you’re not going to find Bible verses telling you to brush your teeth, stop eating at McDonald’s, or to take advantage of an HSA if you’re eligible.

       Scripture does contain many verses teaching us the importance of wisdom in handling our affairs. Here are a couple examples:

       The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.

Proverbs 14:15 (WEB)

       The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.

Proverbs 21:5 (WEB)

       Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.

Proverbs 21:20 (WEB)

       The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.

Proverbs 22:3 (WEB)

       In fact, the entire book of Proverbs points to the importance of wisdom and its place in the life of those who follow God. But what about all the times Jesus told us not to store up treasures on earth? Or when He taught us not to worry about what we’ll eat and drink and wear?

       Tell me, what did Christ mean when He said do not worry or be anxious? What does it mean to worry or be anxious? Those words mean to be distressed, uneasy, and tormented with care about something (material things in this case). Christ’s solution was for us to “seek first the Kingdom of God”. Instead of being worried about how we’ll meet our material needs, we should be worried about how we’ll meet our spiritual needs – how will we serve God and draw closer to Him.

       You can be worried and anxious about material things whether or not you wisely plan ahead. I can have an emergency fund and still be worried about material things. I can not have one and still be worried about material things. Even if I have an emergency fund, I can stop worrying either because I have that money saved or because I trust in God’s provision. That brings us to the other main teaching of Christ about money.

       When Jesus taught about storing up treasures and serving Money what did He mean? What does it mean to be wealthy or rich or to have treasure? All those words denote an abundance, which means having much more than what is sufficient or needed. Jesus’ warnings about wealth were not to tell us that we should never use money appropriately to meet our needs. Jesus warned us instead of the danger in accumulating more than what we really need. He told us not to become consumed with money and wealth.

       There is a vast difference between being consumed with accumulating an abundance of wealth and planning wisely to have enough to meet our needs. In the same way, there is a huge difference between being occupied with worry and prudently foreseeing needs and dangers and preparing to face those situations. These two teachings that Jesus gave us are so often stretched to mean that we should never save anything at all for the future because that demonstrates a lack of faith. The truth is that Jesus taught us to:

1. Give God and His Ways priority in our thoughts and lives.

       

2. Avoid storing up more money than we will need. (That is, not to let becoming rich be our priority in life.)

       Proverbs commends wisdom and many New Testament verses speak to the importance of providing for your own family. We are not taught to make ourselves a burden to others when it is within our power to care for ourselves. Instead, we are taught that if there are any among us who cannot provide for themselves it is our responsibility as fellow Christians to care and provide for those people. Jesus’ teachings combined with the rest of Scripture in no way preclude us from saving for the future, using insurance, or utilizing money in any other wise manner. What is forbidden is making Money our god – giving priority to accumulating more money than we really need instead of serving God.

       The real issue then becomes finding contentment in Christ and determining our true needs. The danger we face is allowing the world to dictate our needs and success (a bigger house, a fancy car, expensive clothes, etc.) instead of learning to live on enough (our daily bread). That is the bigger issue here and the battle all of us Christians face. Once we have submitted to God in our discontentment and covetousness, we will be able to make Money serve us and God’s Kingdom instead of allowing it to be our master. But these are all topics worthy of their own discussion (contentment, defining needs, and avoiding covetousness).

       Please share your thoughts on this topic in the comments. I’m looking forward to hearing from all of you!