WHY DOES MY 20 YEAR OLD FULL TIME COLLEGE STUDENT NOT QUALIFY FOR THE EARNED INCOME CREDIT?

[michelenobach]

MY DAUGHTER IS A FULL TIME STUDENT UNDER 24 YEARS OLD SO WHY IS THIS PROGRAM NOT ACCEPTING HER AS A QUALIFYING CHILD ON THE EARNED INCOME CREDIT?

[DawnC]

You probably have answered something incorrectly in the dependent interview.   Go back through the dependent set up.   You may want to delete her and then re-add her....carefully.   

To count as a qualifying child for EIC, your child must have a valid Social Security number (not an ITIN).  They must also:

• Be your child (including legally adopted), stepchild, eligible foster child, sibling, half-sibling, step-sibling, or a descendant of any of them (for example, your grandchild or niece); and
• Be permanently and totally disabled or under the age of 19 as of December 31, 2024 (under 24 if a full-time student) and younger than you (or your spouse, if filing jointly); and
• Have lived with you (or your spouse, if filing jointly) for more than half the year in the United States (unless you were in the military); and
• Not file jointly with their spouse unless they weren't required to file, but did so anyway to claim a tax refund.

[Hal_Al]

If your child is "away at school", you still answer that she lived with you all year.  Being away at college (like being temporarily away for military training)  is only a temporary absence and for tax purposes, she lived with you all year.