CAN I AMEND MY RETURN, I DIDNT CLAIM MY SON, I THOUGHT HIS MOTHER WAS AND SHE DIDN'T

[tonyturbo55]

We have a settlement where we claim our son every other year, I didnt claim him last year, forgot, his mother is not going to claim him this year, what do I need to do to get the credit?

[Phillip1 · Accepted solution]

Yes, you need to file an amended return to claim your child as a dependent.

Follow the instructions at this site to prepare your amended return: TurboTax FAQ - How do I amend a 2016 return in TurboTax?

I assume the child lives with the mother the majority of the year. If this is the case, you will need to do the following when you enter your dependent information:

1. Enter a number less than 6 in the line “How many months did your child live with you in 2016?”

2. Answer yes to the question “Do you have a Custody Agreement?”

3. Answer no to the question “Is your child’s Other Parent Claiming Him This Year?”

If the child lived with the mother more than half the year, you need to mark less than 6 months. This will prevent TurboTax from giving you the earned income credit, child and dependent care credit, or filing head of household filing status (with that child as a qualifying person). Your child’s mother is entitled to those benefits even though you are claiming the child as a dependent. You are entitled to the dependent exemption and the child tax credit.