[JrJordan]

I come to the Zoo seeking advice.

I am currently 20 years olds and full time college student. My father works for a non-profit health care organization. My health insurance is covered by this organization because until now I have been claimed as a dependent.

Enter stage left, tax issue regarding poker. I am expecting to make approximately $20k this year playing poker, and told my parents I wanted to be responsible and pay taxes for this amount. Here is the problem. In order for my parents to declare me as a dependent, my personal income must be less than the amount my parents pay for my annual living expenses. An outside source is helping aid my college tuition as well. This money unfortunately counts as a personal income of mine, and means my parents would need to spend even more money on me in order to claim me as a dependent.

What possible options do I have? These are what I've arrived at so far, but would really like to hear some other ideas.

1.) Stop play poker for the next 2 years until I get a job in the real world that covers my health insurance and still be claimed as a dependent for insurance until then.

2.) Keep playing poker, lose my dependent status, and be required to pay my own way for various independent policies such as health insurance, auto insurance, and all other aspects of discounts I lose by no longer being a dependent.

3.) Pay taxes on the poker winnings that my parents can match for my living expenses, and pray I don't get audited for the rest.

4.) Not pay taxes on poker winnings period.

None of these options are favorable for obvious reasons (either ethical or financial). Is there any other course of action I can take in order to maintain my growth as a poker player, while still being buddy-buddy with the IRS and still maintain my dependent status?