Child and dependent care expenses. How do you claim dependent care cost when the other parent is claiming the child?

child and dependent care expenses. How do you claim dependent care cost when the other parent is claiming the child? How do you do this on the turbotax program?

KatrinaB
Intuit Alumni

Deductions & credits

You cannot claim the child and dependent care credit unless you claim the child as a dependent. Please view the TurboTax FAQ below for more information.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/replies/4483662

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Hal_Al
Level 15

Deductions & credits

It depends on your living situation. If you live with the other parent, only the parent claiming the dependent may claim the child care credit.

In the case of divorced & separated (including never married) parents. When the non-custodial parent is claiming the child as a dependent/exemption/child tax credit; the custodial parent is still allowed to claim the same child for Earned Income Credit, Head of Household filing status, and day care credit. 

This "splitting of the child" is not available to parents who lived together at any time during the last 6 months of the year; then only one of you can claim the child for any tax reasons. The tax benefits may not be split in any other manner.

Note in particular that the non-custodial parent can never claim the Earned Income Credit, Head of Household filing status or the day care credit.