How can I add my child's income? when I'm trying to add it, it only shows my and my husband's names as options.

[xmasbaby0]

MY DEPENDENT HAD A JOB

If your dependent has a W-2 for his after-school job, summer job, etc. you do not include the information on your own return. You can still claim your child as a dependent on your own return.  He/she can file his own return for a refund of some of his withheld wages (he won’t get back anything for Social Security or Medicare), but MUST indicate on it that he can be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return.  (Supervise this closely or prepare it for him!)

If your dependent’s earnings were over $400 and were reported on a 1099Misc or 1099NEC then he must file a return and pay self-employment tax for Social Security and Medicare.

You might also want to use free software from the IRS Free File versions:

https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/

[Opus 17 · Accepted solution]

If your child's ONLY income is interest or dividends from investments and savings in their name, you can include it on your tax return, although I'm not sure where it is located.

However, if your child has any other income (capital gains from investments, or wages, or prizes, or a taxable scholarship, or anything else) then ALL their income must be reported on a tax return in their own name.  This usually does not stop you from claiming them as a dependent, but the child must check the box for "someone else can claim me as a dependent."

[Vanessa A]

What type of income does your child have?  If it is income from a job, you will not add it to your return.  Instead, you (or they) will need to file a return of their own.

If this is for income that is unearned such as investment income, and falls under the kiddie tax rules, and they have NO other earned income, then you can enter it on your return using form 8814 by selecting the following:

1. Income
2. Less common Income
3. Start next to Child's income
4. Walk through the steps to enter your child's unearned income.

* Please note some people may see different a different navigation in the program*

If they have income from a job and unearned income, then they will again need to file their own return.