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9730bdswc
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I noticed there is a child care deduction and I was wondering why stay at home moms can't account some of what they do to get this credit? If so, what could I claim?

 
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I noticed there is a child care deduction and I was wondering why stay at home moms can't account some of what they do to get this credit? If so, what could I claim?

A. because Congress made it that way.  The credit offsets some of the cost so that both spouses can work, since there are so many two-earner families.  A stay at home parent doesn't have costs to offset.

B. because there is never a tax break from income you never got and tax you don't pay.  You don't get anything for the value of your own labor unless someone pays you for it and then you pay tax on that income.  If you work for free (for anyone, not just your own family) there aren't any tax benefits for that.

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I noticed there is a child care deduction and I was wondering why stay at home moms can't account some of what they do to get this credit? If so, what could I claim?

You have to have earned income from working to get that credit.  If you are married you both need your own income.  The child care is so you  can work or go to school.
<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900643-what-is-the-child-and-dependent-care-credit">https://ttlc....>

I noticed there is a child care deduction and I was wondering why stay at home moms can't account some of what they do to get this credit? If so, what could I claim?

A. because Congress made it that way.  The credit offsets some of the cost so that both spouses can work, since there are so many two-earner families.  A stay at home parent doesn't have costs to offset.

B. because there is never a tax break from income you never got and tax you don't pay.  You don't get anything for the value of your own labor unless someone pays you for it and then you pay tax on that income.  If you work for free (for anyone, not just your own family) there aren't any tax benefits for that.

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