Parents and sisters arrived last week - questions regarding health insurance and taxes

[kmula 7]

My parents and 2 sisters arrived last week with F3 and derivatives status. We are planning to get their SSN soon and then wait for the GC to arrive in the mail. I have 2 questions:

1. How long do we wait before purchasing health care thru Obamacare site? I mean, my parents and older sister will start looking for jobs as soon as possible and once they get a job, they will obtain health insurance thru work.

2. They are staying with me (my household = husband, me and 2 daughters) for a few months but most likely they will not work this year - so my question is regarding if I need to claim them in my taxes. I will be covering for all their expenses this year and until they are able to do it themselves.

I appreciate any suggestions.

Thank you,

[MariaR323 199]

I don't believe you have to wait now that they are in the U.S. and they can apply for Obamacare.

You don't "need" to claim them on your tax return and from the info provided it doesn't sound like you would be eligible to claim them either way since technically they would have only been in the U.S. for approx 2 months out of the whole year.

Unless there's some extra details here that you can provide that *might* possibly make you eligible to claim them... such as from what country they immigrated from and if you provided their support in that country for more than half the year.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

If they are your dependents are you using your income in determining the rate of health care ? Also to claim them they must be making less than 4K that year ( total income) and you must be paying more than half the cost of their support for the entire year. More details here https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/tax-tips/Family/Rules-for-Claiming-a-Dependent-on-Your-Tax-Return/INF12139.html

[kmula 7]

I don't believe you have to wait now that they are in the U.S. and they can apply for Obamacare.

You don't "need" to claim them on your tax return and from the info provided it doesn't sound like you would be eligible to claim them either way since technically they would have only been in the U.S. for approx 2 months out of the whole year.

Unless there's some extra details here that you can provide that *might* possibly make you eligible to claim them... such as from what country they immigrated from and if you provided their support in that country for more than half the year.

No extra details, I did not support them while they were over there.

So if i don't claim them, are they required to fill their own taxes? The won't be working until next year.

If we decide to wait to apply for Obamacare, will they be penalized for not getting health insurance for 2015?

I'm sorry this is all so confusing.

[kmula 7]

If they are your dependents are you using your income in determining the rate of health care ? Also to claim them they must be making less than 4K that year ( total income) and you must be paying more than half the cost of their support for the entire year. More details here https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/tax-tips/Family/Rules-for-Claiming-a-Dependent-on-Your-Tax-Return/INF12139.html

They are probably not going to find a job yet so I don't anticipate they will earn money this year. I am the main sponsor. I'll check out the link you sent.

Thanks!