Legal Definitions - dependent

Definition: Dependent refers to an individual who relies on support from another individual and usually cannot exist or sustain themselves independently without the aid or support of someone else.

For example, a child who is supported by their parents is considered a dependent. There are different types of dependents, such as lawful dependents who receive public benefits or private funds, legal dependents who rely on support as depicted by the law, and partial dependents who rely on an employee for support and protection under workers' compensation law.

In insurance policies, a legal dependent usually refers to all the individuals whom the person under the insurance policy is required to protect and support, such as a spouse and children. On the other hand, a lawful dependent is an individual whom the person under the insurance policy is permitted to support, but not required to support.

Dependent can also refer to tax purposes, where an individual, such as a child, for whom a taxpayer (the parent) provides over half of the support during the taxable year can be claimed and listed as a personal tax exemption.

Dependent can also refer to an event or some other item that is conditional upon the occurrence of some other event. For example, a dependent contract would be an agreement between two parties that is conditional upon some other agreement.