Sign In Start Now
Dependent Pages

2023 Dependent Calculator or DEPENDucator

Important Child Tax Credit Message: If you qualify for the Child Tax Credit, you can file your return when you are ready regardless of if proposed legislation to increase the Child Tax Credit is decided on. If this legislation is enacted by the government and you qualify for the proposed tax credit increase but e-filed your taxes before the legislation is passed, you may be mailed a check later to receive this tax credit. You will not need to file an amendment.

  • We recommend that you start and prepare your tax return, but do not e-file your taxes until the Child Tax Credit legislation is decided on. This way, you can get the full amount direct deposited; if you file now and it is passed, then the IRS will mail you a check. You can still e-file now and not have to worry about missing out on the potential increase.
  • Bookmark this page as we will update this calculator as soon as we have the finalized legislation by the United States Congress and the White House, if it is passed.

Keep up with tax news.

Find out if a person qualifies as a dependent on your tax return by answering just a few questions below. Then, start your return and add your dependent details. The tax deadline or tax day is in April, the e-file deadline is in October: get IT done on eFile.com.

There are two types of dependents:

  1. Qualifying Child: The tool below will provide answers
  2. Qualifying Relatives: See if you can claim other dependents.

When you prepare and eFile your tax return, the eFile Tax App will apply and calculate all tax credits for you. In the meantime, use any of these 15 tax calculators to find answers to your tax questions or calculate estimates. Check here for all previous tax years.

Dependent Calculator or DEPENDucator Tool Learn more about dependents
Start Over
Dependent Qualification
Is this individual e.g. child a U.S. citizen, a U.S. resident alien, a U.S. national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico?
Relationship Qualification
Is the child either your son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, or stepsister, or a descendant (e.g. niece, nephew, grandchild etc.) of any of them?
Age Qualification
Is the child either one of these three:
1. Under the age of 19 as of December 31, 2023 and younger than you (or your spouse if married filing jointly). OR
2. Under age 24 as of December 31, 2023, a student, and younger than you (or your spouse if married filing jointly). OR
3. Any age if permanently and totally disabled.
Residency Qualification
Did the child live with you in the US for more than 6 months during 2023? Generally, a child of divorced or separated parents is the qualifying child of the custodial parent.
Child Support Qualification
Did you provide support for this child for more than 6 months during 2023?
Child's Tax Return
Did the child file a joint return for 2023 (unless that joint return is filed only to claim a refund of withheld income tax or estimated tax paid)?
Claimed By Another Taxpayer
Are you filing a married filing joint return and you and/or your spouse is/are claimed as a dependent by an other taxpayer?
Dependent Of Another Person
Does this child also qualify to be a dependent of another person?
Details
The custodial parent is the parent with whom the child lived for the greater number of nights during the year. If a child is treated as the qualifying child of the noncustodial parent under the rules for children of divorced or separated parents (or parents who live apart), described earlier, a noncustodial parent can claim the child if the following applies click here.
If somebody claimed a child incorrectly e.g in the case of divorced or separated parents (or parents who live apart) learn about the IRS Tie Braker rules. If somebody already claimed your dependent on a tax return for the given tax year, you can prepare your return(s) on eFile.com before you download, print and mail them in but you can NOT e-file and claim the dependent. What to do if your dependent has been claimed? Once you submitted your return you will need to contact the IRS and they will apply the tie braker rules.

Dependents are generally people (children, relatives even certain friends) who receive support, primarily financially, from someone who will claim them on their taxes for certain deductions and credits. This dependent tool or DEPENDucator will answer if you can claim a person as a qualifying dependent on your Tax Return.

No, you can not claim this person as your Dependent.
This individual might qualify as your Qualifying Relative Find out
Yes, you can claim this person as your Dependent.
A Dependent might qualify for the Child Tax Credit, worth up to $2,000 per child?
Find out
Can you claim the Dependent Care Credit for this person, worth up to $2,100? Find out
More free Tax Tools to interactively get your answers. Start Now
Enter your email address and receive your estimated tax results We will not share your email with anybody. Only promo codes from eFile.com might be included in the email. You can unsubscribe from any informational emails at any time.
Email Me My Results
Contact Us with Your Tax Questions!
Start a return now on eFile.com for more personalized results before you eFile your taxes.
Start Free
Why eFile.com
Premium Support
Disclaimer: eFile.com makes no warranty as to the accuracy of the results of this estimator or calculator tool. The results are estimates and for informational purposes only, and should not be relied on for tax advice.

Once you know the results of the DEPENDucator, use the Tax Return Calculator and estimate your next tax return or simply start your tax return now.

If you have questions about this tool or your next tax return, contact an eFile.com Taxpert® for free.

Dependent

Dependents are generally people who receive support, primarily financially, from someone who will claim them on their taxes for certain deductions and credits. This dependent tool or DEPENDucator will answer if you can claim a person as a qualifying dependent with your current tax year return. The qualifying relative tool will answer if a relative or other, unrelated person can be a dependent on your tax return. Find an overview of all child-related tax deductions and credits plus find out if your dependent needs to or should file a tax return as well. They may need to file if they are a teenager or adult who earned their own income.

TurboTax® is a registered trademark of Intuit, Inc.
H&R Block® is a registered trademark of HRB Innovations, Inc.

Tax Forms | Tax Codes
efile.com support team member profile picture

Ask IT
IT is Income Taxes

Taxesfaction Guaranteed

WatchIT