Do you get a bigger tax refund if you have dependents?

Asked by: Dr. Sigmund Johnston MD  |  Last update: October 6, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (48 votes)

Claiming a dependent on your tax return can significantly reduce your tax bill or increase your refund. By taking advantage of credits like the Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, and deductions for child care and medical expenses, you could save thousands of dollars come tax time.

Do you get a bigger tax return with dependents?

This filing status enjoys a higher Standard Deduction and more favorable tax brackets than filing as Single. A qualifying dependent can be a child you supported financially and who lived with you for more than six months. Or, it can be an elderly parent you supported.

Does having dependents affect your tax return?

In addition to lowering taxable income, claiming dependents may also enable you or your clients to be eligible for tax credits specifically designed to support families, such as the child tax credit and the earned income tax credit.

How much do you get back in taxes with dependents?

Child tax credit 2024

For 2024 (taxes filed in 2025), the child tax credit is worth up to $2,000 per qualifying dependent child. The refundable portion, also known as the additional child tax credit, is worth up to $1,700.

Do you get more money if you claim a dependent?

The maximum credit amount is $500 for each dependent who meets certain conditions. This credit can be claimed for: Dependents of any age, including those who are age 18 or older. Dependents who have Social Security numbers or Individual Taxpayer Identification numbers.

Can I get a bigger tax refund if I don't claim dependents on IRS Form W4?

21 related questions found

Is it better to claim dependents or not?

Claiming fewer allowances on Form w-4 will result in more tax being withheld from your paychecks and less take-home pay. This might result in a larger tax refund. On the other hand, claiming too many allowances could mean that not enough tax is withheld during the year.

Do dependents pay higher taxes?

Key Takeaways. Each dependent that qualifies for the Child Tax Credit can reduce your taxes by up to $2,000. Qualifying children over 16 and other qualifying relatives can reduce your taxes by $500 each.

How to get $7000 tax refund?

Who can claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)?
  1. Have investment income of less than $11,600 in tax year 2024.
  2. Have a valid Social Security number by the due date of your 2024 return.
  3. Be a U.S. citizen or resident alien for the entire year.
  4. Not file Form 2555 (foreign earned income)

How much does claiming a dependent affect your paycheck?

An IRS W-4 Form, Employee's Withholding Certificate, is a tax form used by employees to tell an employer how much tax they would like to be withheld from their paychecks. The more dependents a taxpayer claims on their W-4 form, the less tax will be withheld from their paychecks, and the higher their paychecks will be.

Why is my child tax credit only $500?

The maximum credit amount is $500 for each qualifying person. The credit begins to decrease in value if your adjusted gross income exceeds $200,000 ($400,000 for married filing jointly).

Do you get more money back if you have kids?

This tax credit helps offset the costs of raising kids and is worth up to $2,000 for each qualifying child. To get a Child Tax Credit refund, you must earn more than $2,500.

How much does having a dependent save you on taxes?

How much of a tax deduction am I able to claim for each dependent who meets the requirements for a qualifying child or a qualifying relative? Share: Each dependency exemption you claim reduces your taxable income by $5,050.

Why do people with kids get more taxes back?

The federal government and 16 states offer child tax credits to enhance the economic security of families with children, particularly those in lower- to middle-income brackets. The amount of the tax credits is determined primarily by income level, marital status and number of dependent children.

Which filing status gives the biggest refund?

Married filing jointly is the most common filing status for married couples. This status has the highest standard deduction and some of the most beneficial tax rate brackets. You file together and report combined income, along with your combined deductions and qualifying credits on the same return.

How to get a $10,000 tax refund?

CAEITC
  1. Be 18 or older or have a qualifying child.
  2. Have earned income of at least $1.00 and not more than $30,000.
  3. Have a valid Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) for yourself, your spouse, and any qualifying children.
  4. Living in California for more than half of the tax year.

Is it better to claim 1 or 0 on your taxes?

By placing a “0” on line 5, you are indicating that you want the most amount of tax taken out of your pay each pay period. If you wish to claim 1 for yourself instead, then less tax is taken out of your pay each pay period.

Do you get more money back if you are claimed as a dependent?

Claiming a dependent can make you eligible for several tax benefits, including tax credits and deductions that lower your tax bill or increase your refund. An individual can be a dependent of only one taxpayer in a tax year.

Is it better to file single or head of household?

Head of household (HOH) filing status allows you to file at a lower tax rate and a higher standard deduction than the filing status of single.

Do you get more money if you have a dependent?

Credit for Other Dependents: If you have a qualifying relative as a dependent on your return, you're entitled to claim a nonrefundable credit of up to $500. You can claim this for each qualifying relative you have on your tax return.

How do I get a higher tax refund?

4 ways to increase your tax refund come tax time
  1. Consider your filing status. Believe it or not, your filing status can significantly impact your tax liability. ...
  2. Explore tax credits. Tax credits are a valuable source of tax savings. ...
  3. Make use of tax deductions. ...
  4. Take year-end tax moves.

What's the biggest tax refund ever?

In what could be the most amazing tax move ever, a Georgia woman filed a $94 MILLION tax refund! You have to make over $1.6 billion dollars in income to pay $94 million taxes with Georgia's 6% state income tax rate. Sure, it's possible to make $1.6+ billion dollars, but probably not by this woman.

Is it better to claim 2 or 3 dependents on taxes?

Head of Household with Dependents

You'll most likely get a tax refund if you claim no allowances or 1 allowance. If you want to get close to withholding your exact tax obligation, claim 2 allowances for yourself and an allowance for however many dependents you have (so claim 3 allowances if you have one dependent).

Can I claim my girlfriend as a dependent?

Your significant other earned less than $5,050 for 2024.

According to the IRS dependent rules, your boyfriend or girlfriend must have earned less than $5,050 for the 2024 tax year if you want to claim them as a dependent.

Does having a dependent affect your tax return?

The deduction for personal and dependency exemptions is suspended for tax years 2018 through 2025 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Although the exemption amount is zero, the ability to claim a dependent may make taxpayers eligible for other tax benefits.