WHY IS IT NOT ALLOWING ME TO ADD MY CHILDCARE EXPENSES FOR 2024?

[jessica-k-daniels]

IT CARRIED OVER MY CHILDCARE FROM 2023 AND IS SHOWING $0.00 FOR 2024.

[xmasbaby0]

Before you try to work on the childcare credit make sure you have entered your income from working.

[SusanY1]

This will happen if TurboTax doesn't believe that you qualify for the credit. Sometimes, this is a matter of information that is still missing from the return.

To qualify for the credit the child(ren) must be under the age of 13 and the taxpayer and spouse must each have earned income from work, or net income from self-employment (cannot show a loss).  If a taxpayer has both W-2 income (wages) and self-employment income the net of the two together must be positive, taxable income. 

If income has been entered already, double-check that it is assigned properly to each spouse, if applicable, so that each one is showing income. 

In the case of taxpayers who share custody with a parent that they do not file jointly with, the credit is generally available only to the custodial parent even if the noncustodial parent paid the expenses and is entitled to claim the dependent for the year.