Why isn't TurboTax giving me a Dependant Care Credit for my Mother-in-Law when she qualifies for all the rules stated?

[xmasbaby0]

Do you mean your MIL is providing care for your children while you work?  Or do you mean you are paying someone to care for your MIL while you work?

[curretplat]

No, I work full-time and my spouse is a full-time homemaker that looks after our son. We moved into my Mother-in-laws house to take care of all of her expenses after she lost her job over a year ago. According to rules qualifying a dependent, she meets all of them. I don't undestand why I can not claim her?

[xmasbaby0]

So you are trying to claim your MIL as a dependent? That is not the same thing as the dependent care credit.  If you can claim her as a dependent, you enter her information under My Info.  But you say you are in her house?  Does she have any income?  Did she have at least $4050 of income in 2017?

[curretplat]

I have her as a dependent, yes.. Although it doesn't seem to matter, but I am trying to get the dependent care credit for her. Yes, we are in her house. No, she does not have any income. She is still a bit too young to collect social security.

[xmasbaby0]

You must not understand what the dependent care credit is.  It is a credit for paying someone to take care of your children while you work.  Your wife is at home.  You cannot get that credit.  In order to get the chid and dependent care credit both spouses must  work and show income and provide the tax ID of a paid childcare provider.

[curretplat]

.. That makes no sense from what I was reading. I think they need to re-write those conditions.. Even if I have her as a dependent, it doesn't give me any credit for it. It's not right.

[xmasbaby0]

When you claim an adult dependent, you get the $4050 personal exemption for the dependent,  which lowers the amount of income you are taxed on.  That is all.

[curretplat]

Well, thanks. I appreciate the help. That answered my question.

[xmasbaby0 · Accepted solution]

IRS interview to help determine who can be claimed:

https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/who-can-i-claim-as-a-dependent

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3113432-who-can-i-claim-as-my-dependent