Does a diagnosis of Down Syndrome mean a person is 'disabled' for tax purposes?

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
April 11, 2025
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TurboTax Deluxe Online

xmasbaby0

Employee

Maybe----but how old is the person? Are you referring to a child or an adult?

**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.**

MAK70

You have a permanent and total disability if you can't engage in any substantial gainful activity because of your physical or mental condition. A qualified physician must certify that the condition has lasted or can be expected to last continuously for 12 months or more, or that the condition can be expected to result in death.

xmasbaby0

Employee

Do I get a credit or deduction if my child is disabled?

If your child is older than 12 and you need to pay someone to take care of him while you work, you can say he is disabled and you can still get the childcare credit on your federal return. Or if he is 19 or older you may still be able to claim him as a qualifying child dependent on your federal return.

Aside from those things, there is no federal tax advantage to saying that your child is disabled. Your state tax laws might be different.