Q. My 17 year old daughter will file her own tax return this year, will her mom still be able to claim her and get whatever child tax credit there is for her?
A. Yes. A dependent can file their own separate tax return. They just check a box on that form saying they can be a dependent on someone else's return*.
Q. Does mom still get the child tax credit?
A. Yes, but not exactly. A dependent filing their own tax return does not eliminate the parent getting the dependent credit. But, because she turned 17, the parent no longer gets the generous (up to $2000) child tax credit. Instead, the parent gets the (up to) $500 "Credit for Other Dependents".
*Furthermore, there is a rule that says IF somebody else CAN claim him as a dependent, he is not allowed to claim himself. If he has sufficient income (usually more than $13,850), he can & should still file taxes. In TurboTax, he indicates that somebody else can claim him as a dependent, at the personal information section. TT will check that box on form 1040.
Even if he had less, he is allowed to file if he needs to get back income tax withholding. He cannot get back social security or Medicare tax withholding.
With the tax law change, effective 2018, most dependents will get the same refund whether they claim themselves or not. The personal exemption has been eliminated and the standard deduction increased.
