Are grandparents allowed to claim a grandchild as a dependent on their taxes?

In Washington, grandparent rights law allows grandparent visitation rights in certain cases where a child’s parents are divorced or unmarried. However, the law does not specifically address a grandparent’s ability to claim a grandchild as a dependent on their taxes. Under federal tax law, grandparents may be allowed to claim a grandchild as a dependent if they can answer “Yes” to all the requirements to qualify as a “qualifying relative”. This means that the grandchild must be financially supported by the grandparent for more than half the year, the grandchild must not have earned over a certain amount of income, and the grandparent must meet certain age and relationship requirements. In general, the grandchild must live with the grandparent for more than half the year in order to qualify as a dependent on taxes. It’s important to note that this does not necessarily mean that the grandparent must provide the grandchild’s primary residence. In Washington, the law does not take into account any shared custody arrangements or shared financial support from both parents. In conclusion, typically, grandparents in Washington can claim a grandchild as a dependent on their taxes if they meet all the federal requirements and provide the grandchild with financial support for over half the year. However, if the grandchild lives in a shared-custody arrangement, the grandparent may not be able to claim the grandchild as a dependent.

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Are grandparents allowed to claim a grandchild as a dependent on their taxes?

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