Turbo tax will let me select add/edit button for dependent care credit however it will not take me to the area to actually enter the information/amount. Why is this?

[blakeneysa]

Is there something else I need to do?

[DaraLO]

Follow the steps in this Help Article to get to the Child Care Credit section in TurboTax:  How do I get to the Child and Dependent Care Credit in ...

[xmasbaby0]

You have to enter income earned from working to get the childcare credit.  If you have not yet entered your W-2 or self-employment income you will not make any headway in the childcare credit.

[blakeneysa]

Thanks but I’ve already entered all my w-2 data. After doing more research it appears that it may not allow me because my husband and I file married but separately. 

It appears we may have to file jointly to receive this. 

[xmasbaby0]

@blakeneysa Yes that is correct.   You cannot get the childcare credit if you file MFS.    You lose a lot of credits when you file MFS.   

If you were legally married at the end of 2021 your filing choices are married filing jointly or married filing separately.

Married Filing Jointly is usually better, even if one spouse had little or no income. When you file a joint return, you and your spouse will get the married filing jointly standard deduction of $25,100 (+$1350 for each spouse 65 or older)  You are eligible for more credits including education credits, earned income credit, child and dependent care credit, and a larger income limit to receive the child tax credit. 

If you choose to file married filing separately, both spouses have to file the same way—either you both itemize or you both use standard deduction. Your tax rate will be higher than on a joint return. Some of the special rules for filing separately include: you cannot get earned income credit, education credits, adoption credits, or deductions for student loan interest. A higher percent of your Social Security benefits may be taxable. Your limit for SALT (state and local taxes and sales tax) will be only $5000 per spouse. In many cases you will not be able to take the child and dependent care credit. The amount you can contribute to a retirement account will be affected. If you live in a community property state, you will be required to provide additional information regarding your spouse’s income. ( Community property states:  AZ, CA, ID, LA, NV, NM, TX, WA, WI)

 If  you are using online TurboTax to prepare your returns, you will need to prepare two separate returns and pay twice.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1894449-married-filing-jointly-vs-married-filing-separately

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901162-married-filing-separately-in-community-property-states

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1894449-is-it-better-for-a-married-couple-to-file-jointly-or-separ...