tax refund?

[curtkate]

Hello to all?

I am retired, this is my first full year of retirement.  I filed an extention for 2022 because I applied for my 14 year old daughters social security number to come and it has.

I have no other income but ss$.  My question is,

Can I file using my daughter as a dependent and can I get a refund?

I did try using freetaxusa but it did not work.  So I am planning on using turboxtax depending on what responses I get here on this post.

Thanks for reading

[VolvoGirl]

If you only get Social Security or SSDI or ssi it is not taxable and you don't have to file a return unless you have withholding taken out of your SS.  No there is nothing to get a refund from except to get back any withholding taken out.  

[curtkate]

ok, thanks.  I was under the impression claiming a child as a dependent that I can recieve a refund from Uncle Sam.  

[VolvoGirl]

No you need earned income from working to get the EIC (Earned Income Credit) or the Child Tax Credit.   Last year there were special rules where you could get the credits even if you didn't have income from working.  But the rules went back to the old rules.  

[xmasbaby0]

The 2021 child-related credits were very generous.  Lots of people are being taken by surprise this year when they find out the credits for 2022 are lower than they were last year.

The rules for getting the child tax credit on a 2021 tax return and now on a 2022 return are very different. 

The “old” rules are back. 

The child-related credits such as child tax credit and earned income credit are based on having income from working.   You cannot get those credits if your only income was from Social Security.   Sorry.

And...if your only income was Social Security, you are not even required to file a tax return.

If you had other income  in addition to the Social Security, such as retirement income from a pension or retirement account then you may need to file a return, but those sources of income will not affect your eligibility for child-related credits.

[Opus 17]

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@curtkate wrote:

ok, thanks.  I was under the impression claiming a child as a dependent that I can recieve a refund from Uncle Sam.  

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Unfortunately, the child tax credit can only reduce your tax owed.  It can't be separately refunded, unless you have at least some income earned from working (this includes self-employment).  Social security, pensions, IRAs, and other retirement income does not count as income from working.