here are the rules
Qualifying child – and eligible to be claimed as a dependent, the rules are:
- Must be a US citizen, resident alien or national or a resident of Canada or Mexico
- Related to you - son. daughter. stepchild, eligible foster child, or a descendant of any of them; brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, stepbrother, stepsister or a descendant of any of them. Adopted child if legally adopted or an individual lawfully placed with the taxpayer for legal adoption. An eligible foster child is one placed with the taxpayer by an authorized placement agency or by judgment decree or order of any court with jurisdiction.
- Must be either: a) under 19 at the end of the year and younger than the taxpayer claiming them or b) under 24 at the end of the year and a full-time student. A full-time student is one who is enrolled full-time in school (but not online or correspondence schools) during any part of 5 calendar months during the calendar year or took a full-time course of institutional on-farm training under the supervision of an accredited agency.
- Same principal abode as you for more than ½ the tax year. Temporary absences are ignored. Example, for schooling.
- Hasn’t provided over ½ their own support. Taxable or nontaxable scholarship payments are ignored in determining support.
- Hasn’t filed a joint return – unless there is no tax liability.
- If a qualifying child of more than one person there are tie-breaker rules
if they meet all of these rules, check that you have answered the questions as described above. if born during the year, you must check that they lived with you all year
if you are an only parent, you must be the custodial parent (the one the child spent the greater number of nights with during the year). if you are not, you must obtain form 8332 from the custodial parent. it must be filed with your return or with form 8453 if you want to e-file your return
if none of this helps contact support. you can allow them to see your return to determine the issue.
