I Have A Tax Question ?

I don't even know how to word this right but I hope that someone will know what I'm talking about. My daughter is 17 and works and she turned 17 last yr in May, can we claim her for the earned income tax credit for children? My hubby said something about there was a statement about 17 yr olds not eligible for this credit. So should we let our daughter file her own taxes or should we claim her. We do the ez forms because we don't have anything., help please?

THe are several things involved is she work fulltime and taking care of her self.  is she still in school?
Chances are you are still parenting her providing for her.  she can file her taxes there is a part that ask if someone else can claim her ....her answer is yes....
You still get full credit if you if she is still your dependent but working... it changes when she is providing fully for her self..... this the last year I think you can get the child tax credit if you qualify.   if I am understanding you correctly.  As long as she lives with you is going to school high school or college even if she lives in a dorm and you are providing for her school you can take her.  And she can still get back what she paid out on her own taxes.  It changes when she work full time and you do not provide for her any longer.

What Pastor Di is trying to say is......

Actually the tax credit is for children 17 and under REGARDLESS if they work or not. It would make more sense if they just said '16' and under. I remember receiving that shock when my son turned "17" and oddly in the month of May.

I have prepared my taxes as well as others for years, not a professional though, and from experience you can claim your daughter...I would consult with a professional as far as her filing hers also...But I do know that you can file here.

Thanks. In other words, her little part-time job at Wendy's doesn't count for the support we give her and we can still claim that earned income tax credit for her this year before she skips her happy tail off to college, right ?

I know someone that did...Again I am 99% sure you can but to get a final answer call a tax professional and ask them...Let me know what they said.

If your child turned 17 in 2008 NO you can NOT claim the earned income credit NOR the child tax credit for that child.

If she worked, YES she should file a tax return.  And you can still claim her on YOUR tax return also.

When she files, it's somewhere on the form that she will check that states she is basically filing single but can be claimed on another person tax return.

Someone may have already answered your question but I didn't read all the responses yet.  But this is my field. 

The earned income tax credit is for anyone who makes under a certain amount.  So as long as you fall within the income guidelines you will be able to take it. 

What you are talking about is the Child Tax Credit

Here is the rules for that:

Topic 606 - Child Tax Credits

You may be able to claim a child tax credit if you have a qualifying child.

A qualifying child is a child who:

1. Is a United States citizen, a United States resident, or a national of the United States,
2. Is under age 17 at the end of the calendar year in which your tax year begins,
3. Is your son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, legally adopted child, or a child placed with you for legal adoption, brother, sister, stepbrother stepsister, foster child placed with you by an authorized placement agency or by a court order, or a descendant of any such person, and who
4. Shares with you the same principal place of abode for more than one-half of the tax year, or is treated as your qualifying child under the special rule for parents who are divorced, separated, or living apart. For more information, refer to Publication 501, Exemptions, Standard Deduction, and Filing Information.

Because of number 2 you will not be able to claim the child tax credit if she turned 17 in May.  She was not 17 at the end of the tax year. 

However you still can claim her as a dependant.  I believe as long as she earn $5000 or less for the year you still can claim her on your taxes as a dependant.

I hope this helps.

Also her is a link to the IRS web site explaining if you and your Husband will be eligible to claim the Earned income credit.    But basically it is like I said before.  You can claim it as long as you are Married filing jointly and meet the income guidelines. 

click on the link for more information of the income guidlines. 


http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=168160,00.html