Should my girlfriend's son be on my Earned Income Credit Qualifying Child Information? Girlfriend and her son(5) have lived with me all year, she's not claiming him

[zombean]

He's listed as a dependent on my forms but not listed under the Earned Income Credit Qualifying Child Information part. Am I missing out on any money?

[DoninGA]

Since the child is not related to you they are not eligible as a dependent for the Earned Income Tax Credit.  They are not your Qualifying Child.

[JohnB5677]

To qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit the child must be your:

• Son, daughter, stepchild, adopted child or foster child.
• Brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, stepsister or stepbrother.
• Grandchild, niece or nephew

Adopted child definition.

An adopted child is a child who is lawfully placed with you for legal adoption.

Foster child definition

For the EITC, you can only claim a foster child that is placed with you by:

• A State or local government agency
• An Indian tribal government
• A tax-exempt organization licensed by a state or an Indian tribal government.
• A court order.

The IRS gives these guidelines for the Earned Income Tax Credit.

@DoninGA is correct