The last year for the child tax credit is the year the child turns 16. There is no child tax credit when she is 17. However, there is another tax credit called the credit for other dependents which you will get. It is for $500.
Although a parent can claim a dependent up to the age of 19 they still must be a qualifying dependent so if the child did not live with the parents for more than 1/2 the year AND the child was self supporting they cannot claim the child. So the 17 year old may file their own return and claim a dependent of their own.
Your dependent minor child can file their own tax return to seek a refund of federal tax from box 2 of their W-2 and a state refund of tax withheld from box 17. But they will not get back the money that was withheld for Social Security or Medicare.
Check if you qualify for CalEITC
You're at least 18 years old or have a qualifying child. Have earned income of at least $1 and not more than $31,950. Have a valid Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) for you, your spouse/RDP, and any qualifying children.
If you do not have income, and do not meet the main home requirement, you will not be able to benefit from the Child Tax Credit because the credit will not be refundable. For information about the main home requirement for the fully refundable Child Tax Credit, see Q B6.
If you're interested in building your child's credit before they turn 18, you can explore adding them as an authorized user to one or more of your credit cards. There is no legal minimum age for adding a child as an authorized user, however you should check your credit card issuer's policies.
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.
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 $14,600 in 2024 will usually not owe taxes but may choose to file a return to receive a refund of tax withheld from their earnings.
For qualifying dependents who are not a qualifying child (called “qualifying relatives” in tax law), the person's gross income for the 2023 tax year must be below $4,700 (for 2023). For qualifying relatives, they must get more than half of their financial support from you.
Make sure your dependent meets the IRS requirements. Generally, the IRS requires that the child is under the age of 19 (or under 24 if a full-time student), lives with you for more than half the year, and does not provide more than half of their own financial support.
The Additional Child Tax Credit is the refundable portion of the Child Tax Credit. It is claimed by families who owe the IRS less than their qualified Child Tax Credit amount. For 2023, the Additional Child Tax Credit will refund eligible taxpayers up to $1,600. For 2024, it's $1,700.
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.
Key takeaways on claiming a child that works as a dependent
You can claim the Child Tax Credit (up to $2,000 per child) even if your child has a job or earns income, as long as they meet the dependent eligibility requirements.
State Young Child Tax Credit:
As of tax year 2022 forward, taxpayers do not need to have earned income to be eligible. However, you must otherwise meet CalEITC and YCTC requirements. To see if you qualify, how to apply, or claim prior tax years, visit the FTB page.
You can't claim the EIC unless your investment income is $11,600 or less. If your investment income is more than $11,600, you can't claim the credit. Use Worksheet 1 in this chapter to figure your investment income.
Whether you can get a tax refund as a teenager depends on whether you file a tax return with your parents or separately, how much income you have to report, and which tax deductions or credits you might qualify for.
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.
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). Dependent children with unearned income of more than $1,300 must also file a return.
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.
The American Rescue Plan allowed 17-year-olds to qualify for the Child Tax Credit. Previously, only children 16 and younger qualified. Many eligible taxpayers received monthly advance payments of half of their estimated 2021 Child Tax Credit amounts during 2021 from July through December.
August, 29 2024 by Lisa Brugman, EA
Minors who are employed and earn income are generally subject to federal withholding taxes, just like adult employees.
Children 13 and older can check their credit the same way adults do. By visiting AnnualCreditReport.com – the only website federally authorized to provide credit reports from Experian, Equifax and TransUnion for free – your child can enter their personal information to receive a copy of each report.
Generally, minors under the age of 18 do not have credit reports.