It may be worth hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. You must provide more than half of a person's total support during the calendar year to meet the support test. You figure whether you have provided more than half by comparing the amount you contributed to the person's support with the entire amount of support the person received from all sources. This amount includes the person's own funds used for support. You may not include in your contribution any part of your child's support that is paid for by the child with the child's own wages, even if you pay the wages.
Cost determines support.
The total cost, not the period of time you provide the support, determines whether you provide more than half of the support. In figuring a person's total support, include tax-exempt income, savings, and borrowed amounts used to support that person. She is personally responsible for the loan. You may not claim your daughter as a dependent because you provide less than half of her support. However, payments based on the needs of the recipient will not be considered as used entirely for that person's support if it is shown that part of the payments were not used for that purpose.