def deps(dict_1040):
    """
    A function to calculate no. of dependents.
    This currently goes up to 4 dependents.
    """
    dep_count = 0
    #while
    counter = 1
    while counter <= 4 and dict_1040["Dep" + str(counter)]["FN_LN"] != "":
        counter += 1
        dep_count += 1

    return dep_count