topic I dont work, but i homeschool my daughter, can i claim that? An get the child credit in Deductions & credits

I dont work, but i homeschool my daughter, can i claim that? An get the child credit

685bcd4de34c — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:37:25 GMT

Re: I dont work, but i homeschool my daughter, can i claim that? An get the child credit

DoninGA — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 19:33:19 GMT

If you do not have at least $2,500 of earned income you are not eligible for the Child Tax Credit on a 2022 tax return.

If you have no income of any kind there is no reason to file a 2022 tax return, with or without a dependent.

Re: I dont work, but i homeschool my daughter, can i claim that? An get the child credit

xmasbaby0 — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 19:33:44 GMT

No.

The short answer is that if you did not work in 2022, you will not receive an income tax refund based on having dependent children.

The rules for getting the child tax credit on a 2021 tax return and now on a 2022 return are very different. For 2021 you could get $3600 for a child under 6 or $3000 for a child between 6 and 17 even if you had no income/did not work. That is NOT the way it will work for your 2022 tax return. The “old” rules are back. The maximum amount of the child tax credit is now $2000; the refundable “additional child tax credit” amount is $1500. In order to get that credit, you have to have income from working. The credit is calculated based on the amount you earned above $2500 multiplied by 15%, up to the full $1500. If your child is older than 16 at the end of 2022, you do not get the CTC. But you may still get the non-refundable $500 credit for other dependents instead.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900923-what-is-the-child-tax-credit

https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/does-my-childdependent-qualify-for-the-child-tax-credit-or-the-credit-for-other-dependents

And for the Earned Income Credit—-the rules are back to the “old” rules—

Those under 25 and over 65 without children are not eligible as they were uniquely in 2021. And you cannot use your income from any earlier tax year to get the EIC for a 2022 return. There is no “lookback” for 2022. EIC for 2022 will be based on the income you earned by working in 2022.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899157-what-are-the-qualifications-for-the-earned-income-credit-eic-or-eitc

https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/use-the-eitc-assistant

AND….If you have children but had no income, it raises the question of how you and the children were supported. There may be another tax-paying adult who can claim you and/or the children as dependents.

Re: I dont work, but i homeschool my daughter, can i claim that? An get the child credit

xmasbaby0 — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 19:34:27 GMT

EDUCATION EXPENSES

Education expenses for grades K-12 are not deductible on your Federal return, whether for private, public, or home schooling, nor are the expenses for tutoring, after school lessons or after school activities, such as dance lessons, sports, etc. Some states allow deductions/credits for K-12 education and/or home schooling expenses; if your state has these deductions available, you will be prompted to enter them when you prepare your state return. (As far as I know, the states that offer any sort of K-12 deductions/credits are Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,Louisiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin)