Turbo tax asked me if I wanted to claim a dependent I hit no because it’s her fathers year . Wanted to ensure I did right actions to not claim her as return seems hefty ?

[alexis9669]

I hit No but still shows earned income credit . If it messed up who would I need to contact , I read somewhere you can get EIC without claiming the child but really want peace of mind to fix any possible wrongs or just be more aware

[Bsch4477]

If the child lives with you, you can claim EIC and child care credit as well as file as Head of Household if otherwise qualified even if the other parent claims the dependency. You should give that parent a signed form 8332 to give that parent permission to claim the dependency. 

[Vanessa A]

Yes, you are correct.  You can get the EIC if she meets all the other criteria as your dependent and you simply are letting her father claim her this year.  When you look at the personal info section, you should see that it says non-dependent EIC or Dependent Care Credit Only.  If it says this by her name in the personal info summary, you did it correctly.

Which parent did she live with for over half the year last year?

If it does not say EIC or Dependent Care Credit Only, then you will need to go back through the questions about her and select that the other parent is claiming her this year. 

If you are claiming the EIC, he cannot claim it for the same child. Depending on the set up you both have and who she lived with in 2022 for more than 6 months, he may or may not qualify for the EIC.  If he qualifies and should be claiming the EIC, then you should not enter her on your return at all. 

To look at the Personal Info summary, just click the Personal Info tax on the left hand side of the screen. 

[TeresaM]

Even if you do not claim a child as a dependent for the Child Tax Credit, you may be eligible to claim an Earned Income Credit with one or more qualifying children (maximum of three). In order to be considered a qualifying child, your child must meet the tests for residency, age, joint returns and relationship. The child must:

• Have lived with you for more than half the year
• Be under age 19 at the end of the tax year — or 24 if a full-time student — and not have filed a joint return
• Be your son, daughter, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister or a foster child legally placed under your custody.

Only one person can claim a qualifying child. If a child can be the qualifying child for more than one person, the IRS has a tie breaker to determine who claims the child.  Please complete the Earned Income portion of Turbo Tax and it will guide you through the entries to test if this will apply to your return.

You may also qualify as Head of Household if you:
 

1. Were unmarried as of December 31, 2022 and
2. Paid more than half the cost to run your (or a qualifying parent's) home this year (rent, mortgage, utilities, etc.) and
3. Supported a qualifying person.

After you answer all the questions about yourself and your dependents at the beginning of your return, we'll let you know if your situation qualifies for Head of Household.

You can also revisit these questions by selecting My Info (online) or Personal Info (software), and then selecting Edit next to your name or your dependent's.