In the state of NY there is supposed to be a tax credit for non custodial parents who pay child support and are current. Where does this get entered?

[rjs · Accepted solution]

The credit you are referring to is the New York State noncustodial parent earned income credit. See the following link on the NY Department of Taxation web site for some basic information about the credit.

https://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/credits/nceic.htm

Note that you can only claim this credit if you paid child support through a Support Collection Unit under court order.

In the TurboTax New York program this credit is included in the Earned Income Credit topic. On the screen for "New York credits and taxes," click the Start, Update, or Revisit button for Earned Income Credit.

[lg20467]

The instructions may be dated.  For TY19 in the Turbotax App, we found no New York Credits and Taxes Section.  No earned income section and the You and your Family section didn't have anything about earned income or non custodial parent.

[JotikaT2]

Yes, there is a tax credit in New York for noncustodial parents.

In order to claim the credit, you must:

• Be a full year New York State resident
• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a parent of a child who you don't live with
• Have an order in effect for at least half of the tax year requiring
• Make child support payments through a New York State Support Collection Unit
• Have paid an amount at least equal to the amount required by the court

Form IT-209 Instructions

In order to claim the credit in TurboTax, please ensure you have entered Earned Income.

Once you have finished entering your information in the Federal section, proceed to complete your state return.

1. Select State in the left panel
2. Start your state return
3. Select "Continue/Edit" to the right of your New York return
4. Proceed to answer the questions until you reach the "Take a look at New York credits & taxes"
5. Under the "You and Your Family" section, select "Earned Income Credit"
6. Proceed to answer the question regarding "Noncustodial Parent"
7. Follow the screens and answer questions as applicable.

[silencehasspoke]

I am having the same issue as above. Form 215 or 209 is not coming up to even review or delete. 

[FangxiaL]

Follow these steps to claim the Noncustodial Parent New York State Earned Income Credit on Form IT-209 if you qualify:

1. Within your NY state return, under Take a look at New York credits and taxes
2. In the section of You and Your Family, click on Start next to Earned Income Credit (Note: if you don't qualify for the Earned Income Credit based on your income, you won't see this credit list under You and Your Family)
3. Say Yes to Were you a noncustodial parent in 2021?
4. To qualify for the credit, all three conditions must be met:

• You are the parent of a minor child who did not live with you;
• You made court-ordered child support payments through a support collection unit for at least one-half of 2021;
• You made child support payments equal to (or more than) all support orders.

       5. Enter your child's name, Social Security number, and date of birth, TurboTax will calculate the credit.  

You must also meet the following earned income and investment income limits to qualify for the credit:

• Your NY recomputed federal AGI from Form IT-201 must be less than $42,158.
• Your investment income can not be more than $3,650 to qualify for this credit.

@silencehasspoke

[Speeddemon81]

Does getting this credit affect the custodial parents tax return at all

[RobertB4444]

No.  The custodial parent would still receive the full credit for claiming the child.  This is just a credit for making child support payments.

@Speeddemon81