Should We Claim Our Oldest on Taxes?

I am so relieved that my husband loves working with numbers.  As he was getting our taxes filed via Turbotax, we debated about whether or not to claim our college-aged daughter or let her claim herself since she had a podunk fast food job.

He ran two different sets of numbers to see where we’d come ahead – one where she claimed herself and one where we claimed her.  When she claimed herself, she got a $300 refund.  When we claimed her, it increased our refund by $500 but she still got to keep $78.  We’re claiming her!

The only positive thing I’ve experienced with the horrible economy of 2009?  We are getting a refund for the first time in years rather than paying hundreds or thousands like we have in the past!