Earned income credit age guidelines

[Mrshoagie]

My son turned 17 in July 2019 can I receive the earned income credit for him when I file taxes in 2020? He still lives at home and he is not employed. 

[DoninGA]

If the child meets all the requirements under the Qualifying Child rules to be claimed as a dependent, then they would counted when calculating the Earned Income Tax Credit.

To be a Qualifying Child -

1. The child must be your son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, stepsister, or a descendant of any of them.
2. The child must be (a) under age 19 at the end of the year, (b) under age 24 at the end of the year and a full-time student or (c) any age and permanently and totally disabled.
3. The child must have lived with you for more than half of the year. Temporary absences while away at college are considered living with you.
4. The child must not have provided more than half of his or her own support for the year.
5. If the child meets the rules to be a qualifying child of more than one person, you must be the person entitled to claim the child as a qualifying child.
6. The child must be a U.S. citizen or U.S., Canada or Mexico resident for some portion of the year.
7. The child must be younger than you unless disabled.

[xmasbaby0]

Yes, you may be able to get the earned income credit for your 17 year old.  But you will lose the child tax credit.  The child tax credit ends for the year the child turned 17.

[Mrshoagie]

Thank you so much for your reply!!

[Hal_Al]

Instead of the (up to) $2000 Child Tax credit, you will now get the (up to) $500 Other dependent credit. That credit is in addition to any Earned Income Credit that you receive.