Claiming 0 or 1? Dad says I'm a dependent but I still pay a lot of my way?

I used to live with my dad in an apartment and go to a community college. I paid for my own groceries (for the most part--he ate the same thing every day) dental bills (cavities and random), and the usuals phone bill/car insurance etc. I just transferred schools and moved, he paid the tuition and rent this semester but I pay utilities, food, books, etc. Depending on my grades this semester he said I'll have to pay about 2/3 of tuition and rent. I have a good part time summer job where I make from $150-500 a day, giving me about $400-800 a week, depending... He knows this and I feel like he's always trying to get money out of me because of it. I normally don't worry so much about money with my dad but lately he's been charging me more for things that parents usually just "let slide" (emergency room visits, accidental cracked windshield, doctor visits) plus getting into divorce and alimony stuff with my mom (who just started working again making maybe $11 an hour)... I'm really not sure how much I make every year I guess around $10k in the books, I'm just confused that if I claim 0 then my dad will get the break and not me? Unless it is a significant amount, I don't care that our household would have more money if he claimed me... I would rather get the benefits since he wants to play like that (saying he's paying all this alimony and tuition, meanwhile I'm paying his "bills". Any comments or advice? Can anyone make sense of what I am thinking/worrying about?
--------------------
You need to look at the 5 question test on whether or not you are a dependent of your father. You must get 5/5 to be considered a dependent. Are you a US citizen? (No = not dependent) Are you a relative closer than a cousin? If not do you live in the household? (No= not dependent) Did you earn $3200 in gross income? (Yes = not dependent, exempt as his child in school...) Did you file a joint return with a spouse because you were required to?(Yes=Not Dependent) Did you pay over 50% of your expenses this year? (Yes = Not dependent) If you can prove with documentation that you pay over 50% of all of your expenses, including tuition, then you can claim yourself without him being able to say anything about it. However, because your dad paid for school/rent I doubt you can prove you paid more than him. BUT I did just see that you are talking about this semester, as in 2009. You need to look at 2008 only (assuming that this is because you are filing your taxes, however I could be wrong if you are filing out a W-4 form right now for a new job) Claiming you as a dependent, he will get more money than you would if you claimed yourself. . If you don't meet all 5 criteria I listed, then you have no choice but to claim yourself and when your dad gets mad you just have to blame the US Tax Law. If you do meet all 5, then you get to choose, should you or shouldn't you, just be prepared for your dad's wrath if you screw him, People are touchy about money, they forget about relationships when the green stuff is involved.
Source