If my mother is paying for my child’s daycare, is it possible for her to put that on her taxes and can I still claim my son in 2020?

[Bsch4477]

You can claim child care credit only if the child is your dependent. You can claim the credit even though someone else actually paid those expenses.

[carteramber79]

So in order for my mother to be able to receive her money back from the daycare she would have to claim my child as her dependent ?

[Bsch4477]

If you mean getting child care credit for day care expenses on her tax return, yes. But the child must qualify as her dependent for her to claim her.

[carteramber79]

Okay, yes it is her grandson, and we have lived here with her for over a year. I personally do not want her to claim him but if she has to in order to get a credit for the daycare expenses she has paid, it seems I don't have a choice, it will be the first and the last time. But Thank You!

[macuser_22]

Be aware that if two taxpayers both qualify to claim the child then only one can and claim all the credits that go with the dependent.

Also child care is "work related". It can only be claimed if the care was necessary so that the taxpayer claiming it  (and spouse if married) could work. Only if the child lived with the taxpayer more than half the year *and* the care was required so that the taxpayer (and spouse) could work is it allowed.  Both spouses must  have earned income to claim the credit.

See IRS Pub 503.
https://www.irs.gov/publications/p503#en_US_2018_publink100048433

[Critter]

You missed a very important point...even if she paid the day care costs YOU get to claim them on your return since you claim the child. 

[xmasbaby0]

"in order for my mother to be able to receive her money back ..."

If your mother is not the one who supported your child and who needed to pay for childcare so that SHE could work, she cannot get the childcare credit.  And she would not get her money "back"--the child care credit reduces tax owed.  It is not a refundable credit.

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