Dependent Kids

[Keegan2]

I am working on my 2019 taxes. Have 3 kids, 17, 15, and 12 years for that period. After entering my data, for some reason, Turbo is calculating that I will get $4500 credit instead of the $6000 that I should be getting per the law. It counts my oldest for $500 credit only. They have all lived the entire year in the house and my wife and I have been fully supporting them. I checked my data entry, and I did not see any errors (i.e', birth dates) . Can someone please shed some light on this issue? Thank you.

[macuser_22]

TurboTax is correct.    A child must be UNDER age 17 for the $2,000 credit.   Age 17 can only get the $500 dependent credit.

[VolvoGirl]

When did they turn 17?  Has to be UNDER 17 on Dec 31, 2019 to get the Child Tax Credit for the oldest.  Now you get the $500 Other Dependent Credit.  Sorry.

[Keegan2]

Thank you for your response VolvoGirl.

However, your response is not consistent with the law that states => "For tax consideration the IRS has two types of dependents: a qualifying child or qualifying relative. A qualifying child includes your children or siblings (including step, half or foster) or a descendant of any of them; must be younger than age 19 at the end of the year or younger than 24 and a full-time student.Nov 13, 2019"

You are stating the child age limit to 17 at the end of 2019 to be able to collect the $2000 limit, where instead, the IRS is stating the limit as 19 according to the above. What am I missing please? Thank you for your help again.

[macuser_22]

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@Keegan2 wrote:

You are stating the child age limit to 17 at the end of 2019 to be able to collect the $2000 limit, where instead, the IRS is stating the limit as 19 according to the above. What am I missing please? Thank you for your help again.

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Yes.   You are confusing the rules to *claim* a dependent with the rules to claim the child tax credits for that dependent.  Apples and oranges.

For a Qualifying child *dependent*:

The child must be (a) under age 19 at the end of 2019, (b) under age 24 at the end of 2019 and a full-time student* for any part of 5 months of 2019, or (c) any age if permanently and totally disabled and must be younger than you (or your spouse if filing jointly).

For the child tax credit of $2,000 per child.
The child must have been no older than 16 at the end of 2019.

See IRS pub 17

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf page 212

A child qualifies you for the CTC if the child
meets all of the following conditions.
1. The child is your son, daughter, stepchild,
foster child, brother, sister, stepbrother,
stepsister, half brother, half sister, or a descendant
of any of them (for example,
your grandchild, niece, or nephew).
2. The child was under age 17 at the end of
2019

[Keegan2]

Now I understand. I appreciate your response very much. Thank you and Take care....