Taxpayer asks:
I have a question.. when I filed my taxes in february of this year
I had 2 dependant one was 3 and the other one was 17 he turned 17 on december 23rd of 2007 when I filed in feb 2008 they did not give me the tax credit for him they said because he was 17. doesnt it matter that he only turned this on dec 23rd.. was wondering if my tax guy screwed up on my taxes..
Taxgirl says:
I’m assuming that you’re talking about the child credit for the tax rebate for this year. To qualify, your child must be under age 17 as of December 31, 2007. Under these facts, your son wouldn’t qualify and your tax guy did the right thing.
However, if you’re talking about your normal dependent-related expenses, that’s another story. So long as your son otherwise qualified as your dependent, his turning 17 last year should not have been a problem. If that’s the case, you may want to have another tax pro take a peek at your return to see if an amended return is necessary.
For more on child-related deductions, see my prior post on the subject.
Before you go: be sure to read my disclaimer. Remember, I’m a lawyer and we love disclaimers.
If you have a question, here’s how to Ask The Taxgirl.
Hello, my son is 18 and full-time university student. I pay for the in-state tuition ($8500/year). He lives with the mother who provides food, shelter, transportation etc.
Can I claim him as a dependent if the mother is willing?