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Solved

Turbotax won't let me enter Child and Dependent Care Credit info. It gets caught in a loop sending me back to the beginning. Has anyone else experienced and resolved?

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
February 1, 2022
5 replies
0 views

We have several forms of childcare we've paid for that aren't covered by FSA, but we can't get to the page where we can enter these. Just keeps looping around after asking several questions. My wife and I both have earned income.

TurboTax Deluxe Online

Best answer by xmasbaby0

We have salary entered in for both spouses. It asks us if we want to enter Child and Dependent Care info. Then it asks if we lived in the US for more than half the year. Then it pulls up a screen saying that both parents have to have earned incomes, or have disabilities or be students. It has check boxes to indicate disability or student for either me or my wife. When I select None of the Above (indicating no disability or student status) and hit continue, it takes me back to the page listing all of the deductions....the one that has the "Needs Review" button. If I click the button, it starts the process over.

@adamfreer Check to make sure you entered each spouse's income under the spouse's name. Sometimes people just enter it all under one of the names and that will mess up the childcare credit for you.

LenaH

In your situation, it is recommended that you first log out of your TurboTax Online and delete your cookies.

On rare occasions, they may make your browser think you already did something that you still need to do. To fix that, you'll need to delete (clear) the cookies from your browser. For more information on how to delete your cookies on the browser you are using, please see How do I delete cookie

Once that is complete, please complete the following:

While signed in to your return, search for child care credit (use this exact term) and select the Jump to link at the top of your search results.
This will take you to the Did you pay for child or dependent care in 2020? screen. Answer Yes
Follow the on-screen instructions

To qualify, your child must meet all of these requirements:

Be under age 18 at the end of the tax year
Is your child, stepchild, foster child, adopted child, sibling, step sibling, half sibling, or a descendant of any of them (for example, a grandchild, niece, or nephew)
Has their own Social Security Number
- Children with ITINs don't qualify, but may instead be eligible for the $500 Credit for Other Dependents
Lived with you for more than half the year
Didn't support themself (didn't pay more than half their own expenses)
Is a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or U.S. resident alien
- Residents of Canada or Mexico don't qualify

The Child Tax Credit is also fully refundable. Meaning that you’re eligible for the credit even if you don’t owe taxes.

**Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post**Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"

adamfreerAuthor

Thank you, but it unfortunately didn't work. I logged out, deleted cookies and typed "child care credit" in the search. But I didn't get a "jump to" option. We meet all of the conditions described.

BillM223

Please describe the sequence of the screens in the Child and Dependent Care credit interview that you are seeing. We are aware of one "loop", but it happens when one spouse does not have earned income. Is it possible that you entered both W-2s under the same spouse (it defaults to the primary taxpayer)? This happens more often than you think, that you enter a W-2 and don't notice that it was assigned to the primary taxpayer and not to the spouse.

Otherwise, please describe the sequence of screens, and let's see what this might be.

**Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post**Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"

Goldie32

So what about when you're married but filing seperate due to pending divorce? I don't have her W2's. How do I input the multiple thousands I've had to pay in childcare?

VolvoGirl

Employee

Sorry you can't deduct Child Care If you file Married filing Separate. Unless you qualify to file as Head of Household. If you are not divorced yet you could still file a Joint return.

Goldie32

Sounds like a headache will be coming soon dealing with her. I appreciate the advice. I'll look into what it takes for head of household.

lizzij316

I am having this same issue! I read through the comments, I have double checked and I have earned income listed under myself and my husband(when I see the list my name is listed next to mine and his name is listed next to his- he has two W2s), I have cleared my cache as suggested and nothing is working. What else am I able to do to solve this? We meet the eligibility requirements and this is our last step before being able to complete our tax returns. Our loop starts after we reach the page where we have to check if we were full time students or disabled or none of the above, when I click none of the above it loops me back around to beginning, but we have earned income so we should qualify. Help!

Goldie32

Apparently you're not allowed to be married, file seperate and claim any expenses for child care. From what I've read, in the past people would double dip and each claim the expenses on their own filing. So they made it so you can't do that anymore. If you want to claim your child care expenses then you have to file as joint.

Mdipoli000

I'm having the same issue where it asks if we are a full time student or disabled and when I select that we are not either of those it bounces us back. Yet we meet all the requirements.

VolvoGirl

Employee

@Mdipoli000 Have you entered all your income for both of you yet?

Are you married? You both have to have earned income. You can't get it if you file separately unless you qualify for Head of Household. If you are married check if the income is entered under the right spouse's name.

xmasbaby0

Employee

@Mdipoli000

You will not get the childcare credit until (unless) you enter income earned from working. The credit does not work unless you enter your income first. If you are filing a joint return you must show income for both spouses, or show that one or both of you was a student or disabled. If you have self-employment income and show a loss you will not get the childcare credit. You will not get the credit if you are filing married filing separately.

If you have entered all of your income and you have entered your dependent(s) then work on the childcare credit by entering the Tax ID or Social Security number of your childcare provider and enter the amount you paid for the childcare.

One of the most common mistakes that messes up the childcare credit for people is listing all of the earned income under only one name on a joint return. Make very sure that your incomes are listed under each of your names. It’s pretty easy to check. Go to the Income section, and click “update” on Wages and Salary. That will take you to the W-2 Summary. Do you see income listed under both of your names?

The person receiving the care had to be 12 or under or qualified as mentally or physically disabled. To claim the childcare credit you need to be filing as Head of Household or Married Filing Jointly. (NOT married filing separately)

If your child was born in 2022 make sure you say the child lived with you all year. The credit is a percentage of your expenses based on your AGI (the higher the income, the lower the percentage) You must provide the Social Security number for each child you are claiming, and the Social Security number or Tax ID for each care provider.

In the case of divorced or never-married parents—only the custodial parent can use the childcare credit.

And remember that the childcare credit is a NON-refundable credit. It can reduce your tax owed down to zero, but it is not added to your refund.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900643-what-is-the-child-and-dependent-care-credit

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

Mitchellrball2

Im having a problem not being able to enter in my daughter for a dependent my son is there but my daughter is not

xmasbaby0

Employee

@Mitchellrball2

Make sure you have entered your child as a dependent in My Info, and that you have entered the child's Social Security number. Careful— do not say that your child’s SSN is not valid for employment. If your child was born in 2023 make sure you said he lived with you the whole year. There is an oddly worded question that asks if the child paid over half their own support. Say NO to that question.