You should try it out both ways, assuming you both meet the rules to claim her as a dependent (see below).
It is quite possible that the part-time worker would qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit.
You can claim a child, relative,
friend, fiance (etc.) as a dependent on your 2016 taxes as long as they
meet all of the following requirements :
- You
provided more than half of their financial support. More info
- They made
less than $4,050 in gross income during 2016 unless they are a qualifying
child.
- They live
with you or they are related to you.
- They are a
U.S. citizen, resident alien, national, or a Canadian or Mexican resident.
- They aren't
(or won't be) claimed as a dependent by someone else.
- They aren’t
filing a joint return with their spouse.
- You are not
being claimed as a dependent on someone else's return.
