topic I have started my taxes to get a head start. When I put kids, it said I'm approved to claim my kids. Does this mean no one else can claim them? I have not submitted yet? in After you file

I have started my taxes to get a head start. When I put kids, it said I'm approved to claim my kids. Does this mean no one else can claim them? I have not submitted yet?

mmartin1- — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:43:19 GMT

I had them more than half the year.

Re: I have started my taxes to get a head start. When I put kids, it said I'm approved to claim my kids. Does this mean no one else can claim them? I have not submitted yet?

fanfare — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 05:23:55 GMT

you have to meet the qualifying conditions to claim a dependent.

If you are willing to ignore the qualifying conditions, you can claim anybody.

If the dependent marks "no one can claim me" on their own tax return, there will be an issue.

IRS will get involved if there are multiple claimants of the same person.

@mmartin1-

Re: I have started my taxes to get a head start. When I put kids, it said I'm approved to claim my kids. Does this mean no one else can claim them? I have not submitted yet?

xmasbaby0 — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 15:18:04 GMT

You have not provided any details regarding who else might be attempting to claim the children. But.....if there is someone else who claims them, and they file first, your e-file will be rejected. If that happens, then you will have to file by mail. You will not be able to e-file since the IRS will not accept two tax returns that claim the same Social Security numbers on them.

If you file by mail, the IRS will sort out who can rightfully claim the dependents.

As for who can claim them:

IRS interview to help determine who can be claimed:

https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/who-can-i-claim-as-a-dependent

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3113432-who-can-i-claim-as-my-dependent

Re: I have started my taxes to get a head start. When I put kids, it said I'm approved to claim m...

ErnieS0 — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 16:57:11 GMT

TurboTax only knows about your individual tax situation — not anybody else’s — so when the program says you are approved to claim your kids, you have met the conditions to claim your kids as dependents, as @fanfare says.

That doesn’t mean someone else may try to claim the same kids. However, if you entered your info correctly in TurboTax and the program said you are entitled to claim those kids as your dependents, the IRS will eventually rule in your favor if someone else tries to claim your kids.

As @xmasbaby0 says, if someone e-files a return before you do, claiming your kids, the IRS will reject your return. You will have to file by mail and face a long refund delay while the IRS sorts out who should claim the kids.

If you have questions, you can use use the IRS app that @xmasbaby0 mentions. You should also tell the person(s) who may try to claim your kids that they should not put those children on their return because you are claiming them.