What does "household" actually mean?

[zandtee 0]

If you live in an apartment with 2 room mates who you share bills with, do you have 4 people in your household (including your spouse)?

 

If you live with your parents does that count as 4 people in household?

[Going through 5,671]

Household is how many people physically live at the same address as you.

 

Your two room-mates whom you share bills with is part of your household.  If you live with your parents, they are part of your household as well.

 

Your "dependents" (if this is what you're trying to figure out) is a different story.  Dependents are people (adult or child) who are financially supported by you, and may or may not live with you.

Edited August 11, 2017 by Going through

[Ontarkie 14,310]

9 minutes ago, Going through said:

Household is how many people physically live at the same address as you.

 

Your two room-mates whom you share bills with is part of your household.  If you live with your parents, they are part of your household as well.

 

Your "dependents" (if this is what you're trying to figure out) is a different story.  Dependents are people (adult or child) who are financially supported by you, and may or may not live with you.

This is not completely correct. 

 

Your household does not include your roommates. You are not financially responsible for them. 

Living with your parents also depends. For example my some of my older kids still live at home, but they are not included in my household for tax purpose. They are their own household and not included on our taxes. They are adults over 18 and not counted as part of my household. 

 

Divorced parents where one parent has primary custody would claim kids on their taxes. The other parent does not claim them or live with them. But that child or children still count as part of both parents households. 

Edited August 11, 2017 by Ontarkie

[NikLR 13,228]

Ontarkie is correct.

 

For the OP they would NOT count roommates as part of their I-864 household.  You most likely would not count them even as relatives unless one is financially responsible for another and claima them on their taxes OR they were combining incomes for the I-864.  But you can only do that with an immediate family member like a parent, sibling, or adult child.