Is a stay at home mom of 2 children able to file taxes and get a refund??

[SweetieJean]

How does Mom support herself and the children?  Is Dad there?

[Anita01 · Accepted solution]

If you don't have earned income, it would be unlikely for you to receive a refund.  Remember that refunds consist mostly of a return of tax you had withheld during the year.  Nothing withheld means no amount to refund.

There are some credits that can pay you cash even if you have no withholding but they would not meet your needs.  The common ones are related to child credits and they require earned income.  The other is a potential refund for college students but it doesn't sound like you would qualify for that either.

You may still have to file a return if you have some form of taxable income other than wages or earnings.  Alimony, for example, is taxable and requires a return if over a certain amount.

[SweetieJean]

In fact, someone else may be able to claim you and the children as dependents.

[xmasbaby0]

How much do I get back for claiming my child?

Are you asking how much of a refund you will get if you claim a child as a dependent?  If you had income earned from working you MIGHT be eligible to receive the earned income credit and/or Additional Child Tax credit, which increase your refund.  You would also get a personal exemption of $4050 for a child, which lowers your taxable income--but is NOT a refund.  You could also get the Child Tax Credit--which lowers your taxable income but is NOT a refund.  The EIC is based on how much you earned, so TT calculates it for you. You may also be able to claim the Child and Dependent Care Credit if you paid someone to care of your child so that you could work. There is not a "set amount" that you get as a refund when you claim a child.

You do not receive a refund just because you had a dependent.  You must be able to show that you had income earned from working in order to be eligible for a tax refund.  

[Hal_Al]

No.

The money you hear about people getting for just filing a tax return claiming kids requires you to  ...

A child can be the “qualifying child” dependent of any close relative in the household. If you live with someone else, e.g. your parents, it may be better if they claim your children.

[Claussell]

If there dad is there but threatening to take full tax

refund from mom ,

she gets nothing?