if i claim my child as a qualifying dependent and he files a tax return too, does he not receive a refund?

[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 from boxes 2 or 17 (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/

[Vanessa A]

Claiming your child as a dependent will not change whether or not he gets a refund if he paid taxes in.  If he worked and earned less than $14,600 and had taxes withheld, even if you claim him he will get a refund.  However, if he did not have any taxes withheld, he would not get a refund as a dependent is not eligible for any refundable tax credits.