Your potential ability to receive these credits, if in part or whole, is based on a number of certain factors.
In order to qualify for the Child "Tax" Credit, (not child care credit - paying for "outside" care is a whole different credit allowable), you need to have earned at least $2,500 to qualify for the CTC. Then it phases out for income above $200,000 for single filers and $400,000 for joint filers. If your earned income is above the applicable threshold, you will get a partial credit. As a reminder, tax credits directly reduce the amount you owe the IRS.
For the Dependent Care Credit (not the child tax but the "child care" credit), you may be able to claim this credit if you paid expenses for the care of a qualifying individual to enable you (and your spouse, if filing a joint return) to work or actively look for work. Generally, you may not take this credit if your filing status is married filing separately. However, see What’s Your Filing Status? in IRS Publication 503, "Child and Dependent Care Expenses", which describes an exception for certain taxpayers living apart from their spouse and meeting other requirements. The amount of the credit is a percentage of the amount of work-related expenses you paid to a care provider for the care of a qualifying individual. The percentage depends on your adjusted gross income.
Dollar Limit
The total expenses that you may use to calculate the credit may not be more than $3,000 (for one qualifying individual) or $6,000 (for two or more qualifying individuals). Expenses paid for the care of a qualifying individual are eligible expenses if the primary reason for paying the expense is to assure the individual's well-being and protection. If you received dependent care benefits that you exclude or deduct from your income, you must subtract the amount of those benefits from the dollar limit that applies to you.
Who is a "Qualifying Individual"
A qualifying individual for the child and dependent care credit is:
- Your dependent qualifying child who was under age 13 when the care was provided,
- Your spouse who was physically or mentally incapable of self-care and lived with you for more than half of the year, or
- An individual who was physically or mentally incapable of self-care, lived with you for more than half of the year, and either: (a) was your dependent; or (b) could have been your dependent except that he or she received gross income of $4,300 or more, or filed a joint return, or you (or your spouse, if filing jointly) could have been claimed as a dependent on another taxpayer's 2020 return.
