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Child credit

Liny22 — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 11:51:02 GMT

I (biological mother) did not make enough income to file. I have 2 kids from a previous relationship. I now have 1 child with my current partner who is the the main income. We are not married. If my partner claims the 2 that are not his will he get the child credit for them?

Re: Child credit

MayaD — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 21:00:08 GMT

No. To be a qualifying child for the 2022 tax year, your dependent generally must:

Be under age 17 at the end of the year
Be your son, daughter, stepchild, eligible foster child, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, half-brother, half-sister, or a descendant of one of these (for example, a grandchild, niece or nephew)
Provide no more than half of their own financial support during the year
Have lived with you for more than half the year
Be properly claimed as your dependent on your tax return
Not file a joint return with their spouse for the tax year or file it only to claim a refund of withheld income tax or estimated tax paid
Have been a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or U.S. resident alien

Irs.gov

Re: Child credit

Liny22 — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 06:00:52 GMT

Okay, I understand! And to be sure, for my two kids to be considered a step child to my spouse I would have had to been married to him at some point last year, is this correct?

Re: Child credit

MinhT1 — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 13:09:11 GMT

You would have to be married to your partner on the last day of 2022 for your children to be considered as his step children.