Question

Why won't Turbotax allow me to answer "Yes" that my child paid more than half their expenses?

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
February 16, 2021
1 reply
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My child paid more than half his expenses which should disqualify him from being my dependent, but Turbotax won't recognize this answer and categorizes him as a dependent even though he shouldn't be.

TurboTax Deluxe Online

C

Cynthiad66

Sounds like there is conflicting information in the "My Info" section of the software. Also, why are you showing this person on the return as a dependent? Is it just to claim HOH status without claiming as a dependent? If so, go back into the "My Info" or personal information section, depending on the software and review the questions about the person you are claiming on your return.

What is qualifying child for head of household?

The child must have lived within your home for more than six months during the tax year. The child needs to be younger than you. As of the end of the tax year, the child must be under 19 if he is not a student, or under 24 if he is a full-time college student.

Revisit and answer the questions about this child carefully. Either the child is a dependent or a Qualifying child for the HOH status.

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D

dporter22Author

I've reviewed the information and answered all the questions several times but no matter what it won't let me indicate that the child paid more than half their expenses.

Since the child paid more than half their expenses they shouldn't be considered a dependent, but Turbotax won't accept my answer and classifies them as a dependent anyway.

I could delete the child and not claim them, but I want to make sure that the child cannot be "claimed by someone else" on his tax form, and Turbotax is telling me he can be.

DawnC

Employee

It won't allow a YES answer there. Your options are NO (keep your dependent listed on your return) or remove the dependent. See the worksheet here. There are a lot of costs that make up support. If you don't qualify to claim him, remove him and he will answer NO to the 'can someone claim me' question. You don't have to pay half in order to claim him, but he can't have provided more than half from his own funds. If he does not pay over half of his own support, and you are otherwise qualified to claim him, he can't answer NO to the question about being claimed on another tax return, no matter what you put on yours.

If you can claim him but choose not to, he still has to answer yes to the 'can someone claim else me' question. The next question (will someone claim me?), he can say NO to. But he is not going to qualify for an education tax credit if he only has $7700 of earned income as he will have no tax due. If his income was higher or he also has scholarship income, he could possibly qualify for a credit. A full-time unmarried student, under age 24, whether a dependent or not, is only eligible for the refundable portion of the American Opportunity Credit if he supports himself by working. You cannot be supporting yourself on parental support, 529 plans, or student loans & grants. You usually must have actually paid tuition, not had it paid by scholarships & grants.

The question that you are asked during the dependent interview is not the same question that he gets asked after saying that he is a dependent. Please See Opus' explanation about the AOTC credit and support and the post right under that one.

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