What is the Child and Dependent Care Credit?

The Child and Dependent Care Credit (not to be confused with the similar-sounding Child Tax Credit) can reduce your tax bill if you paid for a dependent's care so that you could work or look for work.

To qualify for this credit, you must meet all of these criteria:

• You (and your spouse, if filing jointly) must have earned income.
  • The earned income requirement for one spouse is waived if they were a full-time student or disabled (if they lived with the other spouse for more than 6 months in 2024).
• You paid caregiving expenses so that you (and your spouse, if filing jointly) could work or look for work.
  • The work/look-for work requirement for one spouse is waived if they were a full-time student or disabled (if they lived with the other spouse for more than 6 months in 2024).
• You paid a caregiver to care for a Qualifying Person. The caregiver can't be:
  • Your spouse.
  • Your dependent.
  • Your child if they were under 19 on the last day of 2024, even if not your dependent.
  • The parent of the Qualifying Person, if the Qualifying Person is your child under the age of 13 during 2024.
• Your filing status is not Married Filing Separately (except under certain circumstances).
• You can provide the care provider's name, address, and their SSN, ITIN, or EIN on your return (unless it's a tax-exempt organization).

The Child and Dependent Care Credit is worth as much as 35% of your qualified expenses, up to $3,000, (for one qualifying person), and $6,000 (for two or more qualifying persons). Your percentage depends on your AGI, with the higher percentages applying to lower incomes and vice-versa.

For example, a married couple supporting two qualifying persons who paid $6,000 in qualified expenses may qualify for up to $2,100 in credits, depending on their AGI. 

TurboTax will determine your eligibility and calculate the maximum credit allowed.