topic How do I indicate I do not wish to claim my dependent for EIC purposes? in Deductions & credits

How do I indicate I do not wish to claim my dependent for EIC purposes?

jsaiya1 — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:46:48 GMT

Re: How do I indicate I do not wish to claim my dependent for EIC purposes?

xmasbaby0 — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 19:44:38 GMT

Please explain. Are you the custodial parent? Or the non-custodial parent? Who did the child live with for the most nights in 2022?

Are you the custodial parent? Do you have an agreement with the other parent to allow the other parent to claim them--due to divorce or that you live apart and share custody? Did one of you sign a Form 8332?

If there is a signed 8332 then the custodial parent retains the right to file as Head of Household, get earned income credit and the childcare credit. The non-custodial parent gets the child tax credit for children under the age of 18.

As far as the IRS is concerned, the custodial parent is the one with whom the child spent the most nights during the tax year--at least 183 nights.

If you are a non-married couple who live together then only one of you can claim the child(ren) and the one not claiming the child does not enter anything at all on their tax return about the child.

Re: How do I indicate I do not wish to claim my dependent for EIC purposes?

JamesG1 — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 20:14:04 GMT

If you do not want to report the child at all, do not enter the child as a dependent under My Info.

If the child lives with you and you want to claim your child as a dependent but not claim the EIC, you must identify yourself as the custodial parent in TurboTax.

You do so, by indicating that your child lived with you for more than half of the year and that you are allowing the noncustodial parent to claim the child.

Please follow the directions below to claim your child as a nondependent:

At My Info, input your child's personal information.
At the screen Let's get more info about who will be claiming the child, answer Yes to the question
Do you have a written or verbal agreement with the other parent about who can claim the child?
Answer Yes to the question Is the child's other parent claiming the child per the legal agreement?
You will see the screen It turns out the child does not qualify as your dependent.
You will be able to file as Head of Household.

@jsaiya1