Child received a 1099-nec. When I try to enter it, only allows myself or wife. Child is under 18.

[Opus 17 · Accepted solution]

Income earned from working is only reported on a return in that person's name, never on the return of a parent or someone else.

[DaveF1006]

You will need to file a tax return in the child's name. The IRS allows parents to report a child's income on their own return (using Form 8814) only if that income consists entirely of interest, dividends, and capital gain distributions.

Since your child must file their own return, you have two options depending on which version of TurboTax you are using:

If using TurboTax Online:

1. You must create a brand new account with a different username for your child.
2. Start a new return for them.
3. In the "Personal Info" section of your child's return, you must check the box that says "Someone else can claim me as a dependent." This ensures you still get the dependent credit on your return while they pay the tax on their specific income.

If using TurboTax Desktop:

1. Go to File > New Tax Return.
2. Create a separate file for your child.
3. Again, make sure to mark them as a dependent of someone else in the personal info section.

You may still file your own returns claiming your child as your dependent.