After you file

You can claim your child as a nondependent and claim the earned income credit if you are the custodial parent.

You must identify yourself as the custodial parent in TurboTax. You do so, by indicating that your child lived with you for more than half of the year and that you are allowing the noncustodial parent to claim the child.

Please follow the directions below to claim your child as a nondependent:

1. At MyInfo, input your child's personal information.
2. On the screen titled Tell us more about the child's living situation last year, you must answer more than six months.
3. At the screen Let's get more info about who will be claiming the child, answer Yes to the question
4. Do you have a written or verbal agreement with the other parent about who can claim the child?
5. Answer Yes to the question Is the child's other parent claiming the child per the legal agreement?
6. You will see the screen It turns out the child does not qualify as your dependent.
7. At the screen Your children and others you support, you see the child's name and the description EIC or Dependent Care Credit Only.
8. At Federal / Deductions & Credits / Your tax breaks / You and Your Family / Earned Income Credit (EIC) click Start / Revisit to the right.
9. If you meet the other requirements of the credit, you will qualify for the Earned Income Credit for the nondependent child.