Beginning in tax year 2018 going through 2020, and beginning again in 2022, exemption deductions were replaced by: An increased standard deduction. A larger Child Tax Credit (worth up to $2,000 per qualifying child)
Here's what to know about the dependent tax deduction and related credits to better navigate your family's taxes. The Child Tax Credit can reduce your taxes by up to $2,000 per qualifying child age 16 or younger.
Limited standard deduction for dependents
(For the 2022 tax year, the limit for dependents claimed on someone else's tax return was $1,150 or the dependent's earned income plus $400. For 2024, the limit rises to $1,300, or earned income plus $450.)
The child tax credit is worth up to $2,000 per qualifying dependent under the age of 17.
Gross income is the total of your unearned and earned income. If your gross income was $4,700 or more, you usually can't be claimed as a dependent unless you are a qualifying child. For details, see Dependents.
You can usually claim your children as dependents even if they are dependents with income and no matter how much dependent income they may have or where it comes from.
A minor who may be claimed as a dependent needs to file a return if their income exceeds their standard deduction. A minor who earns less than $13,850 in 2023 will usually not owe taxes but may choose to file a return to receive a refund of tax withheld from their earnings.
As proposed right now, the new child tax credit would continue to be partially refundable (so, for a part of the credit you could get a refund even if you didn't owe any tax) and the new rules would increase the maximum refundable amount per child from $1,600 per child to $1,800 in tax year 2023, to $1,900 in tax year ...
The Credit for Other Dependents is worth up to $500. The IRS defines a dependent as a qualifying child (under age 19 or under 24 if a full-time student, or any age if permanently and totally disabled) or a qualifying relative.
Here's an example of how the proposal would work: a mother with two children who earns $15,000 would receive a $3,600 Child Tax Credit in 2023, up from $1,875 under current law. While not the full $2,000 per-child credit, an increase of $1,725 could help put food on the table or pay for school clothes or diapers.
To meet the qualifying child test, your child must be younger than you or your spouse if filing jointly and either younger than 19 years old or be a "student" younger than 24 years old as of the end of the calendar year.
Good Reasons
If your income disqualifies you from claiming these credits, your child's income probably doesn't disqualify him or her. Therefore, your child may be able to report payment of education expenses for tax purposes and then claim one of the credits – but only if you don't claim him or her as a dependent.
The child tax credit (CTC)
The Child Tax Credit is worth a maximum of $2,000 per qualifying child. Up to $1,500 is refundable. To be eligible for the CTC, you must have earned more than $2,500.
Who are dependents? Dependents are either a qualifying child or a qualifying relative of the taxpayer. The taxpayer's spouse cannot be claimed as a dependent. Some examples of dependents include a child, stepchild, brother, sister, or parent.
The Additional Child Tax Credit is calculated when a taxpayer has at least $2,500 in earned income. To calculation of the refundable Additional Child Tax Credit is 15 percent of earned income above $2,500, up to $1,500 per child.
There is no age limit for how long you can claim adult children or other relatives as dependents, but they must meet other IRS requirements to continue to qualify. Additionally, once they are over 18 and no longer a student, they can only qualify as an "other dependent," not a qualifying child.
Can I claim him as a dependent? Answer: No, because your child would not meet the age test, which says your “qualifying child” must be under age 19 or 24 if a full-time student for at least 5 months out of the year. To be considered a “qualifying relative”, his income must be less than $4,700 in 2023 ($4,400 in 2022).
It's possible, but once you're over age 24, you can no longer be claimed as a qualifying child. The only exception to this is if you're permanently and totally disabled. However, you can be claimed as a qualifying relative if you meet these requirements: Your gross income is less than $4,700.
If you have more than $3,450 in income from rent, inheritance, or stock dividends, you will not receive EITC. That means any inheritance over $3,450 will disqualify you. The IRS reviews all income earned to determine eligibility for the EITC.
The Earned Income Credit (EIC) increases with the first three children you claim. The maximum number of dependents you can claim for earned income credit purposes is three. You must also meet other requirements related to your adjusted gross income (AGI) to qualify for the EIC.
If your dependent child has income such as dividends or interest, the IRS considers this “unearned income.” You can typically choose to report your child's unearned income on your return or your child's return.
The general rule is that a parent can claim a dependent child's investment income on their own return up to a certain amount —above that, the child needs to file themselves. To claim a child's income on a parent's tax return, the child needs to be considered a qualifying child dependent of the parent.
Or the person must live with you the entire year as a member of your household. The person's gross income for the 2023 tax year must be below $4,700 (for 2023).