Tax Tip: Who Qualifies for the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit?

Let’s outline who the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) defines as a qualifying person under this care credit:

A taxpayer’s dependent who is under the age of 13 when the care is provided.
A taxpayer’s spouse who cannot care for themselves has lived with the taxpayer for more than half the year.

In addition to spouses and dependents, the credit may also cover someone who is mentally or physically unable to care for themselves and lives with the taxpayer for six months. This is the case if that person was the taxpayer’s dependent or if they would have been the taxpayer’s dependent except for one of the following:

The qualifying person received a gross income of $4,400 or more.
The qualifying person filed a joint return.
If filing jointly, the taxpayer or spouse could be claimed as dependent on someone else’s return.

*This information is not intended to substitute for specific individualized tax advice. We suggest you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax professional.

Tip adapted from IRS.gov⁷

Footnotes and Sources

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