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IRS Publication 503

it says that I am unable to claim my child and by using TurboTax

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4 Replies
JamesG1
Expert Alumni

IRS Publication 503

Are you not able to qualify for the Child and Dependent Care Credit?  What messages are you seeing?

 

IRS Publication 503 page 3 states:

 

Tests you must meet to claim a credit for child and dependent care expenses. 

 

To be able to claim the credit for child and dependent care expenses, you must meet all the following tests.

 

1. Qualifying Person Test. The care must be for one or more qualifying persons who are identified on Form 2441. 

2. Earned Income Test. You (and your spouse if filing jointly) must have earned income during the year.  

3. Work-Related Expense Test. You must pay child and dependent care expenses so you (and your spouse if filing jointly) can work or look for work.  

4. You must make payments for child and dependent care to someone you (and your spouse) can't claim as a dependent. If you make payments to your child (including stepchild or foster child), he or she can't be your dependent and must be age 19 or older by the end of the year. You can't make payments to: a. Your spouse, or b. The parent of your qualifying person if your qualifying person is your child and under age 13. 

5. Joint Return Test. Your filing status may be single, head of household, or qualifying widow(er) with dependent child. If you are married, you must file a joint return, unless an exception applies to you. 

6. Provider Identification Test. You must identify the care provider on your tax return.  

7. If you exclude or deduct dependent care benefits provided by a dependent care benefit plan, the total amount you exclude or deduct must be less than the dollar limit for qualifying expenses (generally, $8,000 if you had one qualifying person or $16,000 if you had two or more qualifying persons). (If you had two or more qualifying persons, the amount you exclude or deduct will always be less than the dollar limit because the total amount you can exclude or deduct is limited to $10,500.

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IRS Publication 503

It turns out you won't be able to claim the child and dependent care credit using TurboTax because you or your spouse can be claimed as a dependent on someone else's return. But me or my wife cannot be claimed

KrisD15
Expert Alumni

IRS Publication 503

Please return to Personal Info and go through the interview carefully for both you and you wife. 

There are two questions which ask "Can someone else claim you?" and "Will someone else claim you?"

Be sure to select NO for both those questions if you are not a dependent to another Taxpayer. 

Also do the same for your wife. You do not claim your spouse as a dependent, so both of you answer NO to both those questions. 

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IRS Publication 503

THANK YOU

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