Life Tax Benefits for Having Dependents Read the Article Open Share Drawer Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Written by Ginita Wall Published Jun 7, 2024 3 min read Reviewed by Jotika Teli, CPA Lena Hanna, CPA Even though the dependency exemption was eliminated under the tax reform, there are still some tax benefits you can take advantage of to maximize your tax refund if you have dependents. These tax benefits can significantly reduce or even eliminate your tax liability. Some of the credits discussed are refundable, which means that even if you don’t have any tax liability to offset, you will receive a refund. While we’ll help you to understand the tax benefits of having dependents below, don’t worry about remembering these rules come tax time. TurboTax will ask you simple questions about you and give you the tax deductions and credits you’re eligible for based on your answers. Child Tax Credit: You may be eligible for the Child Tax Credit, which is a tax credit that you get for your dependent kids. It’s even better than a tax deduction because it reduces your taxes dollar-for-dollar. For tax year 2024 (the taxes you file in 2025), the Child Tax Credit is worth up to $2,000 per qualifying child under age 17. You will be eligible for the full credit if your modified adjusted gross income is $400,000 or under for those who are married filing jointly and $200,000 or under for all other filers. For tax year 2024, $1,700 of this credit is refundable, up $100 from tax year 2023. Other Dependent Credit: If you don’t qualify for the Child Tax Credit and your dependent child is over 17 or you support a friend or a relative, you may still be able to claim the Other Dependent Credit of up to $500 per qualifying person. The credit begins to phase out if your adjusted gross income is greater than $200,000 (or $400,000 for married filing joint couples). For tax year 2024, this credit is nonrefundable. Child and Dependent Care Credit: If you pay for childcare, there is a tax credit that you may qualify for at tax time. If you are working or actively seeking work, and you pay childcare for your dependent who is under the age of 13 (no age limit if disabled), you can claim the Child and Dependent Care Credit. Nursery school, private kindergarten, after-school programs, daycare, and even summer and winter day camps are all qualifying expenses. This credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction of your taxes based on your childcare expenses and is a nonrefundable credit. The expense limit for tax year 2024 is $3,000 for one qualifying individual and $6,000 for two or more qualifying individuals. The percentage used to calculate the credit is up to 35% of expenses, so the maximum credit is up to $1,050 for one qualifying individual or up to $2,100 for two or more qualifying individuals. This credit is reduced for taxpayers with income over $15,000. Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): There’s a special tax credit available if your wages or self-employment income are below a certain income level. The amount of credit you receive is based on your income, filing status, and how many qualifying kids you have. The refundable tax credit you can receive ranges from a maximum of $7,830 if you have three or more children to $632 if you have no children for tax year 2024. Unlike some other tax credits, the Earned Income Tax Credit is refundable, so if the credit is greater than the tax you owe, you can still receive the difference as a tax refund. No matter what moves you made last year, TurboTax will make them count on your taxes. Whether you want to do your taxes yourself or have a TurboTax expert file for you, we’ll make sure you get every dollar you deserve and your biggest possible refund – guaranteed. Previous Post How to File Taxes in Multiple States After Moving Next Post Happy National Children’s Day! Here’s What Having a Child Means… Written by Ginita Wall More from Ginita Wall 92 responses to “Tax Benefits for Having Dependents” Newer Comments » My daughter got her 1099 , when she filed she owes the irs and gets no credits for her 2 girls o op r head of house hold and single, why is that can someone enlighten me Reply Jan 2016…I havent worked in 2 years can my girlfriend claim me? Im 30 years old how much can she get by claimimg we been been together for 4 years we are not married but she has been taking care of me can she claim head of household to? We been at our place for 6 months or so let me know thanks Reply So I heard that claiming 2 kids is the same as claiming 3..??? Or that I can claim however many but only get amount of claiming2 or something like that…I just had my 3rd baby last year so just wanna know…also what’s the max for each child under the age of 7 Reply Hey so I have made 9,686.44 I claimed 2 all year because I did need more in my checks I am claiming 2 children when I file I only had 114.92 taken out on my federal and 289.44 in state how much do you think I will get back also I pay 50$ a week for childcare please help let me know Reply I only worked for 3 months in filing head of household and I have two kids. Do you think I will get back more then 4,000 Reply Hi, It’s hard to say without knowing your income, other tax deductions and credits, and how much taxes were withheld. If you have 2 dependents you will be eligible for a dependent exemption of $4,000 for each child which will be deducted from your income. You will also be eligible for a Child Tax Credit of up to $1,000 per child. You may be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit of up to $5,548. There are many tax credits and deductions that may get you more money back. TurboTax walks you through all of the tax deductions and credits you are eligible for. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply I got to file a 1099 for 12,535 it only me and my 11 year old. how much should I get back Reply On what line item under deductions do you put child support paid and expenses that I paid for my son Reply Hi Betty, Child support payments are not deductible by the payee and are not taxable to the person receiving them. You can deduct alimony paid and the person receiving alimony has to include it in their taxable income. If your son meets the age qualifications to be a qualifying child (under 19 and 24 if a student) and he does not provide over half of his own support and lives with you for more than half of the year then you can claim a dependent exemption for him and may be eligible for other credits and deductions related to your child like the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and the Child and Dependent Care Credit. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply I worked & earned some income but filed exempt so no taxes were actually taken but can I still claim my girlfriends child as a dependent & get some money back? Reply If I’m not claiming my son this year, I’m letting his dad claim him, can I still deduct childcare expenses? I thought I could but if so, how do I do that on Turbo Tax online? When I select Child and Dependent Care Credit, it will not let me select a name to enter the expenses because it shows my son’s status as “Nondependent”. Reply So can my bf file and have my baby as a dependent and my brother in law he only made like 2,000 or is that not enough tgis was only 1 w2 form ?? Btw my baby is 8months first year using him as a dependent also herd we can get 2,300 ? Is it truee Reply My niece is 24 years old living on her own. She has a 6 month old son and was told she couldn’t collect earned income credit because you have to be 25 years of age to be able to collect it. Is this true? Sincerely Jill Chinderle Reply I’m not an expert, but it sounds like your niece is probably eligible for the Earned Income Credit. The requirement of being between 25 and 65 only applies if she does not have a qualifying child. Here’s the IRS publication on the Earned Income Credit: http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/EITC,-Earned-Income-Tax-Credit,-Questions-and-Answers Reply I have 4 children and married we file together and normally every year get close to 8000.00 or 9000.00 I was told u can only claim 3 children not 4 and my son dad wants to claim him this yr is it true I can only count 3 of my kids anyways? And should let him claim my son or would it affect me and my son still count for doing my taxes and be beneficial to me? Reply Have you gotten an answer yet I have the same issue. Reply Yes that is true. You can put as many dependent a down but while claiming children you only get money back for 3 so you should allow your sons father to claim him. Reply I filed exempt this year But they was still taking tax out I made less than 44.000 I have a one-year old and a six year old will I get anything back and if so how much for two kids?? Reply So i started working April of 2014 but ended up being pregnant and went on maternity leave for October and November went back to work in December i also have a three year old. Would I get a good tax return or will I owe? Reply Hi I am self employed I lost money this year in fact I lost everything I made 1000.00 in income this year not including help from family. Am I not going to get any refund for my three children now that I need it the most? Reply I worked cleaning houses started out as a temp job for 2 weeks making 10$ an hour for a reality company I filled out a 1099 when I started after my two weeks was up and I was supposed to be done with the job they liked my work and had me doing more work with other Realtors and their clients cleaning houses and I was paid cash I made about $5,500 dollars I have one dependent do I need to file my taxes and how do I go about getting a copy of my 1099? Do I get Earned Income Credit if so do I not get the full amount because I didn’t work all year or make enough?? Reply If my husband made 35,000 laast year and he cares me and my two children what is An estimate of his refund!! Reply if filing married with four dependents myself and my son my wife and her 3 kids, is there a way to determine the precentage of the return that is hers or mine? Reply I would love to know this too😀 im in the same situation. Reply Hi I have twins that are 18 but in their first year of college. I was told i could still clam them, but am I still able to get any extra credits? I am not married and file head of house hold. Thank You Reply My baby is three months can I carry her …will I get less on my return then usual Reply No you will be able to get tge full amount in tax credit as if she were here the whole year. Reply How much can i get back for claiming one dependent whose 2 years old and i made only 14800 in 2014. Reply Im 17 years old and me and my dad has been working, i have been working for 4 or 5 months but i dont know my dads income, how much do you think we would get back if he carries me Reply I’m having trouble knowing if i can claim my two children or not. I haven’t been employed for the whole year of 2014. My children’s father passed away in December 2012 and i get social security survivors benefits for them and rent a 3 bedroom house with just us. Can someone help me out.. It would be a big help for me if i am able to claim them?? Reply Can I do taxes even if I don’t have a job but I got four kids all 5 and under Reply Hi Felicia, Yes, if you had any type of taxable income coming in like unemployment. If you didn’t have any income then you wouldn’t have to file. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply I made 100000 this year and ive got 3 dependents. Can you give me an estimate on how much my tax return would be? No Reply If I been paying taxes since november and make 450 a week and Im 16 years old with a 5 month old baby how much in tax refunds would i get? Reply I started my new job last year I but 3 dependence on my application and I have made less than 15000 this year will that affect my tax refund and how much would I be getting back I have two children and married Reply Hi Kim, Without knowing how much taxes were withheld from your paycheck I can’t tell you exactly, but having 2 dependents will make you eligible for valuable tax deductions and credits like the Child Tax Credit worth up to $1,000, dependent exemptions worth $3,950 per child and for your spouse, and the Earned Income Tax Credit worth up to $5,460 with your income and amount of dependents. TurboTax will guide you through all of the tax deductions and credits that you are eligible for. You don’t need to know all of these tax credits and deductions. You may also be able to file absolutely free https://turbotax.intuit.com/ Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply so when I had put 3 dependents all my application do they take taxes out or notI think they had to take a little bit of something out so when I had put 3 dependents all my application do they take taxes out or not.i think they have to take a little bit of something out right Hi there, i just got married this past year. I also didn’t work this year either, but i have two children from two different dads, can i still claim taxes if i didn’t work? also my husband owe back child support would i be able to get my childrens money back if he claims all of us even though i didn’t work? Reply Divorced parents, taking turns claiming the children. Is it possible for the parent who is Not claiming the child as a dependent to take the Child Tax Credit if the parent claiming them cannot (makes over 75g/year)? Reply Does anyone actually answer these? Reply My husband and his ex-wife have a 9 year old and have been divorced for 6 years. Although there is no stipulation in the divorce decree on who will legally file their child, they have joint legal custody and my husband has always paid 67% of total cost to raise their son. She had physical custody until my husband was awarded physical custody this year (2014) in August. The ex is on public assistance because she had another baby this year and my husband has paid more childsupport in 2014 than she made in wages and collected in benefits combined. Who can legally claim their one child o n common for 2014? Reply Hi I was wondering I make 6000 for this year how much will I get if I have 2 dependents I have 2 children Reply Hi. I been working at my job for over a year and this year im having my first child will i be able to claim her an if so how much do u think ill get back. I went from working 30-40 hour a week to 10-15 because im pregnate an she is due dec 3. Reply I live with my family and I have a 17 year old little brother and a 13 year old little sister. I am single and would like to claim them. I normally pay about 30-40% in taxes on my paychecks? Do I get a tax break for claiming those 2? Reply I have 2 kids and disable husband that doesn’t work and I am self contractor working part-time for an interpreting company and they don’t withhold taxes of my paycheck, so my question is: can I claim my kids and husband as dependents? do I still have to pay taxes? Reply I may have to get guardianship of my 3 nieces and 1 nephew. I already have a little one of my own as well. Im the only source of income because my sons mother does not work. I make right around 200,000 a year. Since I am over the child tax credit limit as far as income goes will I be able to get any break on taxes with having 4 extra dependents? Reply I have a question. I started a job 3 months ago. I claim 3 dependants. 2 kids that are 2 and 5 and my husband . I make min wage at 8.25/8.55. I only work between 16-29 hours a week. My husband says I can get 1000$ Back for each dependants. Is that statement true? Reply I cashed in approximately $25,000 in stock at the beginning of the year for wedding and honeymoon expenses. We got married in January and I have not changed my withholdings to married. I make approximately $85,000 a year. Is there going to be a big difference in my monthly net income when I change to married? With the marriage came two children. Should I put them on my monthly withholdings as well? Reply I’m a single mom going to get married soon.. I know I get pretty much for being a single parent of two..if I get married will I still get close to that amount back or will it cut back? Reply Hi Ash, It depends on how much money you and your spouse make. You may be eligible for lower tax rates when filing married filing jointly, however when two married people both earn a high income they may see greater tax liability. You can use TurboTax TaxCaster to see what your tax situation will be. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply I have 2 children and was claiming 0 on w4. Did not get much back. Should I be claiming 3 for wife and 2 children or leave at 0 to get bigger return? Reply Hi David, I don’t know what your other deductions are, but if you claim more less will be taken out of your paycheck so you are getting the money in your paycheck instead of a refund. If you like to see a refund then claiming 0 would give you the maximum deduction from your paycheck giving you a bigger refund depending on your situation. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply I have a question for next year. I have a temporary contract job but salary-wise it pays LESS than the cost of childcare. For 2013 I OWED a LOT in taxes due to a similar situation. How is it, if my income is technically NEGATIVE, that I can still owe taxes?. I don’t mind owing taxes if my income were higher (hopefully soon!) Do I fall into some odd crack/loophole? The Self Employment tax is what kills me. Reply Hi Greta, Yes, there are a couple of things that can cause this: 1) The Child and dependent care credit is not dollar-for-dollar what you paid. For instance, if you paid $6,000 for childcare for one child for the year you may expect to get a $6,000 credit, but you get up to 35% of $3,000($1,050) and the percentage depends on your income. This tax benefit may also be phased out at certain income levels. 2) The additional self-employment tax of 15.3% may also be impacting your taxes. 3) Make sure you took advantage of other credits for your child like the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. These can help. 4) Also, keep in mind that the Child and dependent care credit is not refundable so you cannot receive a credit that is more than your tax. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply Can i receive some,if any,tax money even though i have not worked or have a current dependent?May i claim myself only? Reply Hi Chris, If you don’t have any income you would not need to file and would not be eligible for refundable credits like the Earned Income Credit since you have to have earned income. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply My grandson lived with me for 10 months in 2013 he is 1 years old. Can I take him off my taxes Reply This year i claimed unemployment half the year the other half worked but got 1099misc where do you fill out that part of income also im married with 4 dependants why will it only allow me to claim 3 of them when 4 qualify would it be better to claim seperate from wife even though she had no income Reply Its my first time filing taxes and i filed with Turbo Tax..it gave me the amount for federal and state refunds..i want to know if i claimed 2 of my kids..is the amount separate from the federal and state or do the IRS approve for the amount i get for each child to be added with my federal and state refunds??please help..first timer Reply I’m married my husband didn’t work and I made around $52,000 I have five children their dad wants to carry two of them on his taxes and he’s telling me I only need to carry 3 dependents. I think letting him carry 2 of the kids will affect my tax bracket. Is this true that only 3 dependents matter especially since I’m in a higher bracket Reply If i only worked half the yr and only made 6,000 claimed 5 got 2 kids claimed head of household…. will i qualify for earned income credit for my kids? Reply I am unsure of your overall situation or if you have filed your taxes in prior years. It more than likely was due to 1. Your income earned. . If you made LESS money than before it could lessen your refund as easily as earning MORE income this tax year. If you had more income that you did not report, you have 3 years to file an amended return to include all income earned. 2. With holdings could have impacted your refund. Your with holdings could have been less than in previous years. Changing the number of exemptions on your W4 form such as adding a child or getting married and including the spouse for with holding can affect this. 3. The number of exemptions that you claimed has decreased. These are all reasons and I hope that it has helped.God bless you. Reply Diane, no Melissa, That is the difference between the credit and the deduction. It depends on how much income you reported Aretha, who knows? Reply I would like to claim my 82 year old mother as a dependent. She only receives her Social Security check, but she does have a savings account of $50,000.00 Will her savings account make a difference in me claiming her?? Reply I was told that people will receive the difference in cash for the credit of the child. For example, a person did not work and has 3 children, they received thousands from their taxes simply for having children. Is this true? Reply I have prepared taxes for 13 years now. You have to have income to file a tax return and the thousands of dollars in refunds must be the EITC EARNED Income Tax Credit. You have to have earned income to receive a refund from this credit. It is based on several factors including number of dependents, income earned, filing status and even with holdings from W4 (s) ect. Not everyone’s taxes are the same but you do not get one dime for simply having children. I hope that this helps some. God bless and have a wonderful day. Reply i would like to know why my child credit was so small, Reply Newer Comments » Leave a ReplyCancel reply Browse Related Articles Family What Is a Dependent? An Introductory Guide to Dependent… Family Child Tax Benefits: How Parents Can Save on Taxes Tax Deductions and Credits Tax Credits and Deductions for Families Tax Deductions and Credits Multigenerational Families: Top Family Tax Deductions a… Tax Deductions and Credits Family Taxes: Take Advantage of Tax Savings Family Can I Claim My Parent as a Dependent? Tax Planning 8 Last Minute Tax Tips to Make the Tax Extension Deadli… Tax Deductions and Credits What is a Refundable Tax Credit? 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My daughter got her 1099 , when she filed she owes the irs and gets no credits for her 2 girls o op r head of house hold and single, why is that can someone enlighten me Reply
Jan 2016…I havent worked in 2 years can my girlfriend claim me? Im 30 years old how much can she get by claimimg we been been together for 4 years we are not married but she has been taking care of me can she claim head of household to? We been at our place for 6 months or so let me know thanks Reply
So I heard that claiming 2 kids is the same as claiming 3..??? Or that I can claim however many but only get amount of claiming2 or something like that…I just had my 3rd baby last year so just wanna know…also what’s the max for each child under the age of 7 Reply
Hey so I have made 9,686.44 I claimed 2 all year because I did need more in my checks I am claiming 2 children when I file I only had 114.92 taken out on my federal and 289.44 in state how much do you think I will get back also I pay 50$ a week for childcare please help let me know Reply
I only worked for 3 months in filing head of household and I have two kids. Do you think I will get back more then 4,000 Reply
Hi, It’s hard to say without knowing your income, other tax deductions and credits, and how much taxes were withheld. If you have 2 dependents you will be eligible for a dependent exemption of $4,000 for each child which will be deducted from your income. You will also be eligible for a Child Tax Credit of up to $1,000 per child. You may be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit of up to $5,548. There are many tax credits and deductions that may get you more money back. TurboTax walks you through all of the tax deductions and credits you are eligible for. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
On what line item under deductions do you put child support paid and expenses that I paid for my son Reply
Hi Betty, Child support payments are not deductible by the payee and are not taxable to the person receiving them. You can deduct alimony paid and the person receiving alimony has to include it in their taxable income. If your son meets the age qualifications to be a qualifying child (under 19 and 24 if a student) and he does not provide over half of his own support and lives with you for more than half of the year then you can claim a dependent exemption for him and may be eligible for other credits and deductions related to your child like the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and the Child and Dependent Care Credit. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
I worked & earned some income but filed exempt so no taxes were actually taken but can I still claim my girlfriends child as a dependent & get some money back? Reply
If I’m not claiming my son this year, I’m letting his dad claim him, can I still deduct childcare expenses? I thought I could but if so, how do I do that on Turbo Tax online? When I select Child and Dependent Care Credit, it will not let me select a name to enter the expenses because it shows my son’s status as “Nondependent”. Reply
So can my bf file and have my baby as a dependent and my brother in law he only made like 2,000 or is that not enough tgis was only 1 w2 form ?? Btw my baby is 8months first year using him as a dependent also herd we can get 2,300 ? Is it truee Reply
My niece is 24 years old living on her own. She has a 6 month old son and was told she couldn’t collect earned income credit because you have to be 25 years of age to be able to collect it. Is this true? Sincerely Jill Chinderle Reply
I’m not an expert, but it sounds like your niece is probably eligible for the Earned Income Credit. The requirement of being between 25 and 65 only applies if she does not have a qualifying child. Here’s the IRS publication on the Earned Income Credit: http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/EITC,-Earned-Income-Tax-Credit,-Questions-and-Answers Reply
I have 4 children and married we file together and normally every year get close to 8000.00 or 9000.00 I was told u can only claim 3 children not 4 and my son dad wants to claim him this yr is it true I can only count 3 of my kids anyways? And should let him claim my son or would it affect me and my son still count for doing my taxes and be beneficial to me? Reply
Yes that is true. You can put as many dependent a down but while claiming children you only get money back for 3 so you should allow your sons father to claim him. Reply
I filed exempt this year But they was still taking tax out I made less than 44.000 I have a one-year old and a six year old will I get anything back and if so how much for two kids?? Reply
So i started working April of 2014 but ended up being pregnant and went on maternity leave for October and November went back to work in December i also have a three year old. Would I get a good tax return or will I owe? Reply
Hi I am self employed I lost money this year in fact I lost everything I made 1000.00 in income this year not including help from family. Am I not going to get any refund for my three children now that I need it the most? Reply
I worked cleaning houses started out as a temp job for 2 weeks making 10$ an hour for a reality company I filled out a 1099 when I started after my two weeks was up and I was supposed to be done with the job they liked my work and had me doing more work with other Realtors and their clients cleaning houses and I was paid cash I made about $5,500 dollars I have one dependent do I need to file my taxes and how do I go about getting a copy of my 1099? Do I get Earned Income Credit if so do I not get the full amount because I didn’t work all year or make enough?? Reply
If my husband made 35,000 laast year and he cares me and my two children what is An estimate of his refund!! Reply
if filing married with four dependents myself and my son my wife and her 3 kids, is there a way to determine the precentage of the return that is hers or mine? Reply
Hi I have twins that are 18 but in their first year of college. I was told i could still clam them, but am I still able to get any extra credits? I am not married and file head of house hold. Thank You Reply
How much can i get back for claiming one dependent whose 2 years old and i made only 14800 in 2014. Reply
Im 17 years old and me and my dad has been working, i have been working for 4 or 5 months but i dont know my dads income, how much do you think we would get back if he carries me Reply
I’m having trouble knowing if i can claim my two children or not. I haven’t been employed for the whole year of 2014. My children’s father passed away in December 2012 and i get social security survivors benefits for them and rent a 3 bedroom house with just us. Can someone help me out.. It would be a big help for me if i am able to claim them?? Reply
Hi Felicia, Yes, if you had any type of taxable income coming in like unemployment. If you didn’t have any income then you wouldn’t have to file. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
I made 100000 this year and ive got 3 dependents. Can you give me an estimate on how much my tax return would be?
If I been paying taxes since november and make 450 a week and Im 16 years old with a 5 month old baby how much in tax refunds would i get? Reply
I started my new job last year I but 3 dependence on my application and I have made less than 15000 this year will that affect my tax refund and how much would I be getting back I have two children and married Reply
Hi Kim, Without knowing how much taxes were withheld from your paycheck I can’t tell you exactly, but having 2 dependents will make you eligible for valuable tax deductions and credits like the Child Tax Credit worth up to $1,000, dependent exemptions worth $3,950 per child and for your spouse, and the Earned Income Tax Credit worth up to $5,460 with your income and amount of dependents. TurboTax will guide you through all of the tax deductions and credits that you are eligible for. You don’t need to know all of these tax credits and deductions. You may also be able to file absolutely free https://turbotax.intuit.com/ Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
so when I had put 3 dependents all my application do they take taxes out or notI think they had to take a little bit of something out
so when I had put 3 dependents all my application do they take taxes out or not.i think they have to take a little bit of something out right
Hi there, i just got married this past year. I also didn’t work this year either, but i have two children from two different dads, can i still claim taxes if i didn’t work? also my husband owe back child support would i be able to get my childrens money back if he claims all of us even though i didn’t work? Reply
Divorced parents, taking turns claiming the children. Is it possible for the parent who is Not claiming the child as a dependent to take the Child Tax Credit if the parent claiming them cannot (makes over 75g/year)? Reply
My husband and his ex-wife have a 9 year old and have been divorced for 6 years. Although there is no stipulation in the divorce decree on who will legally file their child, they have joint legal custody and my husband has always paid 67% of total cost to raise their son. She had physical custody until my husband was awarded physical custody this year (2014) in August. The ex is on public assistance because she had another baby this year and my husband has paid more childsupport in 2014 than she made in wages and collected in benefits combined. Who can legally claim their one child o n common for 2014? Reply
Hi I was wondering I make 6000 for this year how much will I get if I have 2 dependents I have 2 children Reply
Hi. I been working at my job for over a year and this year im having my first child will i be able to claim her an if so how much do u think ill get back. I went from working 30-40 hour a week to 10-15 because im pregnate an she is due dec 3. Reply
I live with my family and I have a 17 year old little brother and a 13 year old little sister. I am single and would like to claim them. I normally pay about 30-40% in taxes on my paychecks? Do I get a tax break for claiming those 2? Reply
I have 2 kids and disable husband that doesn’t work and I am self contractor working part-time for an interpreting company and they don’t withhold taxes of my paycheck, so my question is: can I claim my kids and husband as dependents? do I still have to pay taxes? Reply
I may have to get guardianship of my 3 nieces and 1 nephew. I already have a little one of my own as well. Im the only source of income because my sons mother does not work. I make right around 200,000 a year. Since I am over the child tax credit limit as far as income goes will I be able to get any break on taxes with having 4 extra dependents? Reply
I have a question. I started a job 3 months ago. I claim 3 dependants. 2 kids that are 2 and 5 and my husband . I make min wage at 8.25/8.55. I only work between 16-29 hours a week. My husband says I can get 1000$ Back for each dependants. Is that statement true? Reply
I cashed in approximately $25,000 in stock at the beginning of the year for wedding and honeymoon expenses. We got married in January and I have not changed my withholdings to married. I make approximately $85,000 a year. Is there going to be a big difference in my monthly net income when I change to married? With the marriage came two children. Should I put them on my monthly withholdings as well? Reply
I’m a single mom going to get married soon.. I know I get pretty much for being a single parent of two..if I get married will I still get close to that amount back or will it cut back? Reply
Hi Ash, It depends on how much money you and your spouse make. You may be eligible for lower tax rates when filing married filing jointly, however when two married people both earn a high income they may see greater tax liability. You can use TurboTax TaxCaster to see what your tax situation will be. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
I have 2 children and was claiming 0 on w4. Did not get much back. Should I be claiming 3 for wife and 2 children or leave at 0 to get bigger return? Reply
Hi David, I don’t know what your other deductions are, but if you claim more less will be taken out of your paycheck so you are getting the money in your paycheck instead of a refund. If you like to see a refund then claiming 0 would give you the maximum deduction from your paycheck giving you a bigger refund depending on your situation. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
I have a question for next year. I have a temporary contract job but salary-wise it pays LESS than the cost of childcare. For 2013 I OWED a LOT in taxes due to a similar situation. How is it, if my income is technically NEGATIVE, that I can still owe taxes?. I don’t mind owing taxes if my income were higher (hopefully soon!) Do I fall into some odd crack/loophole? The Self Employment tax is what kills me. Reply
Hi Greta, Yes, there are a couple of things that can cause this: 1) The Child and dependent care credit is not dollar-for-dollar what you paid. For instance, if you paid $6,000 for childcare for one child for the year you may expect to get a $6,000 credit, but you get up to 35% of $3,000($1,050) and the percentage depends on your income. This tax benefit may also be phased out at certain income levels. 2) The additional self-employment tax of 15.3% may also be impacting your taxes. 3) Make sure you took advantage of other credits for your child like the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. These can help. 4) Also, keep in mind that the Child and dependent care credit is not refundable so you cannot receive a credit that is more than your tax. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
Can i receive some,if any,tax money even though i have not worked or have a current dependent?May i claim myself only? Reply
Hi Chris, If you don’t have any income you would not need to file and would not be eligible for refundable credits like the Earned Income Credit since you have to have earned income. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
This year i claimed unemployment half the year the other half worked but got 1099misc where do you fill out that part of income also im married with 4 dependants why will it only allow me to claim 3 of them when 4 qualify would it be better to claim seperate from wife even though she had no income Reply
Its my first time filing taxes and i filed with Turbo Tax..it gave me the amount for federal and state refunds..i want to know if i claimed 2 of my kids..is the amount separate from the federal and state or do the IRS approve for the amount i get for each child to be added with my federal and state refunds??please help..first timer Reply
I’m married my husband didn’t work and I made around $52,000 I have five children their dad wants to carry two of them on his taxes and he’s telling me I only need to carry 3 dependents. I think letting him carry 2 of the kids will affect my tax bracket. Is this true that only 3 dependents matter especially since I’m in a higher bracket Reply
If i only worked half the yr and only made 6,000 claimed 5 got 2 kids claimed head of household…. will i qualify for earned income credit for my kids? Reply
I am unsure of your overall situation or if you have filed your taxes in prior years. It more than likely was due to 1. Your income earned. . If you made LESS money than before it could lessen your refund as easily as earning MORE income this tax year. If you had more income that you did not report, you have 3 years to file an amended return to include all income earned. 2. With holdings could have impacted your refund. Your with holdings could have been less than in previous years. Changing the number of exemptions on your W4 form such as adding a child or getting married and including the spouse for with holding can affect this. 3. The number of exemptions that you claimed has decreased. These are all reasons and I hope that it has helped.God bless you. Reply
Diane, no Melissa, That is the difference between the credit and the deduction. It depends on how much income you reported Aretha, who knows? Reply
I would like to claim my 82 year old mother as a dependent. She only receives her Social Security check, but she does have a savings account of $50,000.00 Will her savings account make a difference in me claiming her?? Reply
I was told that people will receive the difference in cash for the credit of the child. For example, a person did not work and has 3 children, they received thousands from their taxes simply for having children. Is this true? Reply
I have prepared taxes for 13 years now. You have to have income to file a tax return and the thousands of dollars in refunds must be the EITC EARNED Income Tax Credit. You have to have earned income to receive a refund from this credit. It is based on several factors including number of dependents, income earned, filing status and even with holdings from W4 (s) ect. Not everyone’s taxes are the same but you do not get one dime for simply having children. I hope that this helps some. God bless and have a wonderful day. Reply