questions & answers

Question: I have had my elderly parents living with me for the last 2.5 years. We have had to buy a larger house to accommodate them plus our children. How much of the household expenses (mortgage, utilities, food, etc.) can they contribute to (they have IRA's and social security) without a tax problem for me. I do not claim them as dependents on my taxes.

Answer: Because tax issues can be quite complex, you may want to consider consulting an attorney to determine how the law applies to your specific situation. This can be done by consulting the State Bar of Arizona. To see if you qualify for free or reduced fee legal resources, please see Access to Justice. The Internal Revenue Service may be able to help answer your question. Their Help & Resources page  has numbers that you can call to ask tax questions as well as the contact information for local IRS offices. You may also wish to contact the Arizona Department of Revenue.