Hal_Al
Level 15

Deductions & credits

@Scnetside   said "The Child Tax Credit 2020 goes up to age 24 for completely disabled children".

 

No. That's not true.  Only children under 17, regardless of disability status, qualify for the child tax credit, for 2020.  The new rule is under 18 for 2021. 

The age 24 rule is only for dependency and the Earned Income Credit (EIC) and applies to full time students.

 A child's disability doesn't affect tax filing until he turns 19 (24 if a full time student). Then his disability allows him to continue to be considered a "Qualifying Child" dependent for tax purposes,  regardless of age.  But, not for the Child tax credit.

 

There are two types of dependents, "Qualifying Children"(QC) and standard ("Qualifying Relative" in IRS parlance even though they don't have to actually be related). There is no income limit for a QC but there is an age limit, student status, a relationship test and residence test. Only a QC qualifies a taxpayer for the Earned Income Credit. 

A child of a taxpayer can still be a “Qualifying Child” (QC) dependent, regardless of his/her income, if:

  1. He is under age 19, or under 24 if a full time student for at least 5 months of the year, or is totally & permanently disabled, at any age.
  2. He did not provide more than 1/2 his own support. Scholarships are excluded from the support calculation
  3. He lived with the parent (including temporary absences such as away at school) for more than half the year

 

Q. I do take her as a dependent on my taxes?

A. Yes. But, you do not claim the child tax credit.  Instead you get the $500 "Other dependent credit" (and EIC if you qualify).  You also get the $1400 dependent stimulus (recovery rebate credit), if you didn't already receive it.