Should I add my son as a dependent? I have a shared custody but his mother is his primary caregiver. She will be the only one claiming the Eligible Dependent Amount.

Thanks for reaching out to us. No, you can't claim your son as an eligible dependent, the reason being, the dependent's mother is already claiming the amount. Here are the specific criteria:

• If someone else (usually the other parent) is claiming an amount on Line 30400 of their return for this dependent, you cannot make a claim for that same dependant. For example, you and the other parent have shared custody and can both claim the amount for the same dependant, you must agree on who will claim the amount. If you cannot agree, neither of you can claim the Amount for an Eligible Dependent for that child.

Also, another reason is, the dependant must be living with you and in the house you maintain. 

However, If you are making any claims for the child such as Childcare or medical expenses, you will need to add the dependant in Turbotax to claim these.

 

For further help, please read our TurboTax blog on Eligible Dependents. 

 

Thank you for using TurboTax.