Who can claim my children

[Arylant506]

I’ve got two kids to claim this year but I didn’t make enough to get a 1099 after changes bc of the big beautiful bill ( I only made around $7800). I live with my partner ( boyfriend sounds weird in our 40’s) but we are not married but have been together since 2019. My girls dad is not in the picture anymore. I’ve got full custody- they are with my partner and I all year long. Can he- my partner- claim my girls on his taxes this year? He’s taking care of their needs a lot more than I even am only making $7k a year. I’ve tried googling things and I see answers both ways. 

[VolvoGirl]

What kind of 1099 were you expecting to get?  You have to report all your income even if you don't get a 1099.  If you were an employee you should get a W2.  If you are self employed or an indepenedent contractor you should get a 1099NEC for $600 or more.  What did  the Big Beautiful Bill change?  That didn't change what form you are suppose to get.  

[xmasbaby0]

You can claim your own children as dependents---and although you will not get a big refund, you will receive some additional child tax credit and some earned income credit.   If your BF claims them, since they are not his bio-children and you are not married to him, all he could get is the non-refundable $500 credit for other dependents for claiming them.   He cannot get Head of Household filing status or child tax credit or earned income credit for claiming them.

As for not making enough to get a "1099"---if you worked as an independent contractor they are supposed to issue a 1099NEC to you if you made even $600.   But you can enter the income even without a document.

If you have self-employment income for which you will pay self-employment tax for Social Security and Medicare,  you will need to use online Premium software or any version of the desktop software download so that you can prepare a Schedule C for your business expenses.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/self-employed/help/how-do-i-report-income-from-self-employment/00/...

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/self-employed/help/what-is-the-self-employment-tax/00/25922

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/import-export-data-files/enter-self-empl...

If you live in a state with a state income tax, you might need to make estimated payments to your state.

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/small-business-taxes/the-home-office-deduction/L1RZyYxzv

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/estimated-taxes/make-estimated-tax-payme...

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/calculators/self-employed/

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/business-taxes/discussion/self-employed-don-t-miss-these-tax-moves...

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/import-export-data-files/enter-schedule-...

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/payroll-additions-deductions/qualify-qua...

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/self-employment-taxes/self-employed-expe...

You can file as Single and claim your two children.

Make sure you have entered your child as a dependent in My Info, and that you have entered the child's Social Security number.    Careful— do not say that your child’s SSN is not valid for employment.  If your child was born in 2025 make sure you said he lived with you the whole year.  There is an oddly worded question that asks if the child paid over half their own support.  Say NO to that question.

Have you entered income from working in 2025?  If not,  you will not receive an income tax refund based on having dependent children.

  The maximum amount of the child tax credit is now $2200 per child; the refundable “additional child tax credit” amount is $1700.   In order to get that credit, you have to have income from working.  

Take the amount you earned from working.   Subtract $2500.   Multiply the rest by 15%.  That is the additional child tax credit per child that you canget—- up to the maximum of $1700 per child.   If the amount you earned from working was low, you will not get the full $1700 per child.

 If your child is older than 16 at the end of 2025, you do not get the CTC.  But you may still get the non-refundable $500 credit for other dependents instead.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/taxation/child-tax-credit/L2lNhfGDl_US_e...

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/taxation/additional-child-tax-credit/L6x...

https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/does-my-childdependent-qualify-for-the-child-tax-credit-or-the-credit-f...

And for the Earned Income Credit—-

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-credits-deductions/qualifications-ea...

https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/use-the-eitc-assistant

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p596.pdf

Look at your 2025 Form 1040 to see the child-related credits you received

PREVIEW 1040

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-return/preview-turbotax-online-retur...

Child Tax Credit line 19

Credit for Other Dependents line 19

Earned Income Credit line 27

Additional Child Tax Credit line 28

[Arylant506]

1099k is what I’ve gotten previous years. I’ve been an independent contractor cleaning air bnb’s. The app we use says I’m not getting a 1099k this year bc the threshold is now $20k bc of the bill. 

[xmasbaby0]

You have self-employment income and are required to file a tax return since you received more than $400 --- with or without the 1099k.

[Arylant506]

Holy cow that a lot of info thank you. One thing I saw though really concerns me. My girls are 16 and 17. So do they not qualify anymore for me to get the ctc? Is that what I’m reading? If so what is best to do? Sounds like no matter what I may not be getting a lot back this year. I wasn’t expecting a lot last year I didn’t get a lot but it was enough to help out. 

[xmasbaby0]

You cannot get child tax credit for a child who was 17 at the end of 2025.   Instead you can get the $500 credit for other dependents.   You can still claim her as a dependent for EIC.   You can get CTC for the 16 year old.