Hi everyone. I’m a 22-year-old female, and I recently left my abusive household. My friend’s family is kindly letting me stay with them for as long as I need, and I’m not paying any bills. Instead, I’m helping around the house in exchange for staying with them.
I saw that adults under 65 in NY can qualify for Medicaid if their household income is up to 138% of the poverty level. I qualify on my own, but I don’t qualify based on household income (I make about $17k a year). With tuition and car insurance, paying for regular health insurance would leave me in the negative, which is tough because I want to save money to eventually move out. I’m physically healthy, but I really need therapy.
Since I was claimed as a dependent on my abusive father’s last tax return and now I’m basically a dependent of someone else, I know I’m not eligible for a lot of assistance. Unfortunately, my university doesn’t offer student health insurance either. Do you have any suggestions for health insurance or cheap car insurance options I could switch to?
Let me know if you need more info. Thanks!
4 Likes
“Household” refers to who you file taxes with, not who you physically live with. Your father might still try to claim you, but your friend’s family likely can’t since you’re not their child.
With $17k a year, you should qualify for Medicaid, which will be your best option.
4 Likes
I see, that was a semantics misunderstanding on my part then. Thanks for the info!
3 Likes
To clarify: your father claimed you as a dependent for 2023 and may have planned to do the same for 2024. However, since the year isn’t over, he hasn’t filed yet.
Your friend’s family can’t claim you as a dependent; they’re just being generous by letting you stay.
As others have mentioned, you’re likely eligible for Medicaid. Make sure to file your own taxes as head of household for 2024 as soon as you get your W-2, usually in January. Your father might still try to claim you, and if he does, the IRS will investigate. Filing early will help protect your Medicaid eligibility and start the process before he can file.
3 Likes
I see, I thought they might be able to. That’s good to know.
I’ll try to file ASAP when I get my W2. Thank you so much for the info!
2 Likes
His most recent tax return would have been for 2023. He shouldn’t be claiming you as a dependent for 2024, but you should contact Medicaid to explain your situation.
Are your friend’s parents planning to claim you on their taxes? Given your income, they likely aren’t legally allowed to, but it’s worth confirming.
There’s a subreddit on Medicaid that could be helpful, especially for dealing with potential issues if your father tries to wrongly claim you as a dependent.
2 Likes
I see, I’ll give it a try. Another user said the parents wouldn’t be able to claim me, although I’m not sure 100% the logistics of it. I’ll take a look at the Medicaid sub. Thank you!
2 Likes
There are very specific rules by the IRS in terms of how one can legally claim someone as a dependent.
I don’t think your friend’s parents would be able to claim you because your income is too high and there are other factors especially for an unrelated adult.
1 Like
It may be helpful to schedule an appointment with a financial aid counselor at your university. There are some FAFSA rules regarding students with abusive parents that might apply to your situation.