Should I claim my 17 year old as a dependent?

Asked by: Lenore Hartmann  |  Last update: June 18, 2025
Score: 4.4/5 (39 votes)

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.

How much do you get for a 17 year old dependent on taxes?

The Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC) provides up to $1,154 per eligible tax return for tax year 2024. YCTC may provide you with cash back or reduce any tax you owe. California families qualify with earned income of $31,950 or less.

When should I stop claiming my child as a dependent?

Age requirement: Your child must be under age 19 or, if a full-time student, under age 24. There is no age limit if your child is permanently and totally disabled.

Can I still claim my 17 year old on my taxes if he works?

But when it comes to age, you can claim them if they are 18 and under. Okay, so a lot of parents get confused. thinking that because it's. they dependent has start working at 16, 17, 18, that they no longer can can claim them. And that's not true. You can claim your dependent if they're working.

What happens if my child turns 17 in tax year?

The child tax credit provides a credit of up to $2,000 per child under age 17. If the credit exceeds taxes owed, families may receive up to $1,600 per child as a refund. Other dependents—including children ages 17–18 and full-time college students ages 19–24—can receive a nonrefundable credit of up to $500 each.

Can I claim my 18 year old as a dependent if she works?

43 related questions found

Does my 17 year old qualify for Child Tax Credit 2024?

Who qualifies. You can claim the Child Tax Credit for each qualifying child who has a Social Security number that is valid for employment in the United States. To be a qualifying child for the 2024 tax year, your dependent generally must: Be under 17 at the end of the tax year.

Should my 17 year old son file taxes?

Your dependent children must file a tax return when they earn above a certain amount of income. Dependent children with earned income in excess of $14,600 must file an income tax return (for the 2024 tax year).

Is it better not to claim a child as a dependent?

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.

Can I claim my daughter as a dependent if she made over $4000?

The child must have lived with you for more than half of the year.2 3. The person's gross income for the year must be less than $4,300.3 Gross income means all income the person received in the form of money, goods, property and services, that isn't exempt from tax.

Do I have to claim my child's income if I claim them as a dependent?

If you have a dependent who's earning income, good news — you can still claim them as a dependent so long as other dependent rules still apply. Your dependent's earned income doesn't go on your return. Filing tax returns for children is easy in that respect.

Can my parents still claim me as a dependent if I work?

You can claim a child who works as a dependent if they still meet the requirements to be a qualifying child – including the age, relationship, residency, and support tests.

Is it better not to claim my college student as a dependent?

Cons of Claiming a College Student as a Dependent

If your child has earned income and you claim them as a dependent, they lose the opportunity to claim their own personal exemption (when applicable in future years) and certain tax credits that could be more advantageous for them.

Do I have to claim my child as a dependent if they are on my insurance?

Do my parents have to claim me as a tax dependent for me to be on their health plan to age 26? No. You do not need to be a tax dependent of your parents to continue to be covered on their health plan.

Is my 17 year old still a dependent?

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.

Do 17 year olds get taxes taken out of paycheck?

The short answer is YES.

Employers are required to withhold federal income taxes from employees' paychecks if the employee is expected to earn more than a certain minimum threshold for the year – usually the standard deduction for their filing status.

Do I get earned income credit for my 17 year old?

The child must be under 19 at the end of the year and younger than you or your spouse if you're filing jointly, OR, the child must be under 24 if they were a full-time student. There's no age limit for children who are permanently and totally disabled.

Why do you lose Child Tax Credit at age 17?

Now, a question arises: why does the Child Tax Credit cease when the child attains the age of 17? Though it may appear random, the logic behind this lies in societal norms that align 17 with the coming-of-age stage. This age has typically marked the end of school and the start of either higher education or employment.

What are the disadvantages of claiming a parent as dependent?

The downsides of claiming parents as dependents
  • More financial responsibility: To claim a parent as a dependent, you must cover more than half of their financial support. ...
  • Sibling restrictions: Do you share the expenses of caring for a parent with a sibling?

When am I no longer a dependent?

Once your child reaches the age of 18, they are considered an adult in the eyes of the IRS. However, if they are still a full-time student, you can continue to claim them as a dependent until they turn 24. Once they are no longer a full-time student, you must stop claiming them.

When should parents stop claiming dependent?

Yes, your parents can claim you as a dependent after the age of 18 indefinitely as long as you meet the qualifying household and financial support requirements.

Should I claim my adult child as a dependent?

Several requirements must be satisfied before you claim an adult as a dependent on your tax return. How they're related to you, where they live, how much support you provide, and even their income are all factors in determining if an adult can be claimed as your dependent for tax purposes.

Should a parent with higher income claim a child?

If the child lived with each parent for the same amount of time, the IRS will treat the child as the qualifying child of the parent who had the higher adjusted gross income (AGI) for 2023.

How much can your child make and still be claimed as a dependent?

Gross income is the total of your unearned and earned income. If your gross income was $5,050 or more, you usually can't be claimed as a dependent unless you are a qualifying child. For details, see Dependents.

Can I still claim my child as a dependent if they work?

While there are many nuances to tax dependents, you can still claim them even if they earn income or receive SNAP benefits or other government assistance.

Do I have to file taxes if my parents claim me as a dependent?

If a dependent is claimed as a qualifying child on another person's tax return, they generally do not need to file their own tax return, even if their income exceeds the filing thresholds.