Child Tax Credit

[SeeThruMe]

My daughter turned 18 in the first two months of 2021 so was 17 in 2020. 

Per the help section in TurboTax I should qualify for the 2k deduction, but the program is only allowing my a $500.00 deduction now that she is 18.

This appears to possibly be an "undocumented enhancement" to the program. 

This is the quote from the help sections:

What are the Child and Other Dependent Tax Credits?

These credits include of the Child Tax Credit and the Credit for Other Dependents. If you have a child or someone you support almost entirely, there's a good chance you're eligible for one of these tax breaks.

The Child Tax Credit is a tax break that can benefit people with children under the age of 17. You can get up to $2,000 for each child you claim. That's money in your pocket.

The Other Dependent Tax Credit is a new $500 tax break for people with dependents who are 17 or older, not necessarily related to them, or have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) instead of a Social Security number. Same deal here - you'll get $500 for each dependent you claim.

Thank you for the quick assistance !!

Steven 

[macuser_22]

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@SeeThruMe wrote:

My daughter turned 18 in the first two months of 2021 so was 17 in 2020. 

Per the help section in TurboTax I should qualify for the 2k deduction, but the program is only allowing my a $500.00 deduction now that she is 18.

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You misread it.  It says "under the age of 17", which means not older then 16 at the end of 2020.   If she was 17 in 2020 she does not qualify for the child tax credit.

[DaveF1006]

According to this link from IRS.gov, the child must be younger than 17 on the last day of the tax year, generally Dec 31. Since your child turned 17 in 2020, she is no longer eligible for the child tax credit.

[SeeThruMe]

David 

thank you for responding - so another words there is a black hole to say that impacts parents across the country for children that are 17 and seniors in Highschool complexly dependent on their parents and the deduction decreases by 1.5K - the difference is a huge challenge and impact 

why wouldn’t that IRS pub be read into say 17 or younger just the same as voting rights are 18 and older and not 18 and one day older 

thank you 

[macuser_22]

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@SeeThruMe wrote:

David 

thank you for responding - so another words there is a black hole to say that impacts parents across the country for children that are 17 and seniors in Highschool complexly dependent on their parents and the deduction decreases by 1.5K - the difference is a huge challenge and impact 

why wouldn’t that IRS pub be read into say 17 or younger just the same as voting rights are 18 and older and not 18 and one day older 

thank you 

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The IRS does not say that.  The tax law that Congress passed says that.  That has been the law for years (1997 as I recall).

[SweetieJean]

Well, folks who had kids before that provision was enacted got nothing at all (and the tax rates were higher then, too).  And remember that you got the full CTC the year she was born, even though she wasn't alive all year.