Why is it not making any difference on my taxes when I put my baby daughter as a dependent? I tried with and without her and it made no difference at all.

[xmasbaby0 · Accepted solution]

Make sure that if you had a baby born in 2016 you said she lived with you the whole year,

[KatherineC]

Have you entered all of your income and deductions?  Did you have a refund or balance due before you entered your daughter?

There are a couple of reasons why entering a dependent wouldn't make a difference. 

1.  Entering a dependent lowers your taxable income.  If you have no taxable income, and therefore no income tax, you wouldn't see a change in your refund/balance due.

2.  If the only tax you have is self-employment tax, adding a dependent would have no effect.

If you do have income tax in addition to self-employment tax, please try deleting your daughter as a dependent then reentering her information.