topic Help! EIC Error + Child Showing Up As Non Dependent in Deductions & credits

Help! EIC Error + Child Showing Up As Non Dependent

JCG2010 — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 08:54:05 GMT

As I was finishing up the federal return the smart checker had me verify some things for EIC. Took me to a page and asked if my kids made more than $4,300. There was a PDF below the question where you could check boxes as well. I screwed up and selected a few of the boxes in the PDF (should have just left them blank) and now one of my sons is now showing up as nondependent.

How do I get back to this section with the PDF with boxes to check/uncheck underneath?

I’ve gone through the “You and your family section” multiple times but can’t replicate that screen/section.

Any help? Should I just go back to personal and delete him and then add him again?

Re: Help! EIC Error + Child Showing Up As Non Dependent

RaifH — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 13:11:33 GMT

Yes, you should delete your child and enter him again. That's probably the easiest way to undo the answers that TurboTax recorded from the pdf that you filled out. Read the questions carefully:

Select My Info in the left navigation.
Add your child after you delete him.
When we ask how many months your child lived with you, the answer must be longer than 6 months
Did your child pay for more than half of her living expenses? Make sure you answer No, the wording is tricky and trips a lot of people up.
Make sure that Your child's Social Security Number is not valid for employment box is not checked

Once you have done that, go back into the earned income credit section and verify that everything is entered correctly.

If it asked if your child made more than $4,300, it must no longer consider your son to be a qualified child, which would mean he is not included in the calculation of the earned income credit. This happens most frequently if your child is 18 or older. If he is a full-time student under the age of 24 or totally and permanently disabled, he still qualifies as your child and his gross income would not matter.

Re: Help! EIC Error + Child Showing Up As Non Dependent

JCG2010 — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 05:59:05 GMT

Hi RaifH,

Thank you for your response. I went ahead and deleted and then re-added my child and it worked. Thanks for all of your help. I appreciate it.

Re: Help! EIC Error + Child Showing Up As Non Dependent

dhspencer37 — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 20:54:53 GMT

Any suggestions is it is still showing as non dependent? All 3 of my children are showing as non dependents (14,16,18 college student). Thanks

Re: Help! EIC Error + Child Showing Up As Non Dependent

LoganathanB — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 21:35:31 GMT

Please check whether you have answered the questions correctly, the one who provided more than 50% support, and the answer to how many months the dependent lived with you.

Re: Help! EIC Error + Child Showing Up As Non Dependent

Byad21 — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 19:27:14 GMT

Was this ever resolved. I'm having the same issue. Try to delete then add my kids back on. They are still showing as Nondependent.

Re: Help! EIC Error + Child Showing Up As Non Dependent

SusanY1 — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 19:32:01 GMT

This happens only when one of the questions in the interview disqualifies the child. It happens most frequently with the months lived with you - this should be 12 for newborns, kids away at college, and most other situations.

Also, the questions about support are often misread so pay close attention to those as well.

@Byad21

Re: Help! EIC Error + Child Showing Up As Non Dependent

jrkoah — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 19:37:02 GMT

I am having this problem. I ported from last year's turbotax. Going through all the steps, i even get the "congrats your child qualifies you for a tax break", but after completion it shows the status as nondependent.

I tried to delete and reenter all the details, but still shows incorrect status.

Something in the software is causing it to flip from dependent to non-dependent.

Reviewing last year to this year i have $2500 for 2022, and 0 for this year, no changes in child status.

Re: Help! EIC Error + Child Showing Up As Non Dependent

jrkoah — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 19:45:52 GMT

Going through the forms, it seems that for some reason I as the taxpayer was listed as "can another taxpayer claim you as a dependent). Fixing that on my form fixed the problem for me.

Re: Help! EIC Error + Child Showing Up As Non Dependent

DawnC — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 19:48:14 GMT

You are still answering questions with non-dependent answers. Delete the dependents and add them back; be sure to read each question as the support questions, family assistance, and time lived with you questions can be confusing. Here are the requirements (and questions you are asked). Make sure they all have social security numbers entered and the box indicating it is not valid for employment is not checked.

Re: Help! EIC Error + Child Showing Up As Non Dependent

DawnC — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 19:47:17 GMT

That will do it too. @jrkoah

Re: Help! EIC Error + Child Showing Up As Non Dependent

Byad21 — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 20:33:13 GMT

Thank you. It was not checked correctly and corrected it. All is good now.

Re: Help! EIC Error + Child Showing Up As Non Dependent

Byad21 — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 20:34:28 GMT

Thanks for the response. For some reason I had marked a dependent. Fixed that and all is good.