Check Your Exemptions

• If you are declaring yourself as an exemption when filing your taxes, how many exemptions you will be filing will determine the amount you can declare. If you are single with no spouse, children or other dependents, you can declare $3,650. The maximum of your declaration for you and one dependent is $7,300. You receive an exemption for each dependent you claim.
  
  

Identify Dependents

• A dependent can be a child who lives with you for at least six months of the year. This could be an adopted or foster child under 19 years old or under 24 if she is a full-time student. A dependent can also be a relative by blood or marriage, or someone else who lived with you for an entire year. They must have a yearly income of $3,650 or less and cannot be eligible to be claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer.
  
  

When Claiming Yourself

• Keep in mind when claiming yourself as a dependent that no one else can claim you. If you are eligible to be claimed as a dependent on another taxpayer's income return, you are not eligible to claim yourself. The other taxpayer does not have to claim you to make you ineligible to claim yourself; if they can legally claim you because of your income or living situation, you are not eligible to claim yourself on your tax return.
  
  

Reducing the Amount

• The exemption you claim on yourself for your tax return used to be reduced according to your yearly income. If you made too much during the year, the exemption amount would be reduced. As of 2010, however, there is no longer a limitation based on your yearly income. Anyone filing who must pay the alternative minimum tax is ineligible for dependent exemptions, including those claimed on themselves.