Smart things to do before Year End
Child Tax Credit: $$$ for children under 17
Who qualifies:
Child not have turned 18 before January 1
Be your own child, adopted child, stepchild, or foster child. You can also claim a sibling, step-sibling, half-sibling, or a descendant of any of them (including a niece, nephew, or grandchild);
Have lived with you for more than half the year;
Not have paid more than half their own expenses; and
Be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. national, or U.S. resident alien.
Things to bring to your Tax preparation appointment:
copies of child's birth certificate,
social security card,
documentation to prove child(ren) lived with you more than half of the year. These may be health, school or other records that show child's name, and your address.
Earned Income Tax Credit, (EIC): $$$ for qualifying dependent children.
Which people make me qualify:
Your son, daughter, stepchild, adopted child or a descendant.
Your foster child, placed with you by an authorized agency or court order.
Your brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister or a descendant of one of these.
Age 18 or younger as of the end of the year (unless he or she is a full-time student, in which case the student must be 23 or younger). Exception: A person who is permanently and totally disabled at any time during the year qualifies, no matter how old.
A resident with you in the United States for more than half of the year.
How do I qualify?
You have income from earnings.
You did not receive more than $10,300 in investment income.
You are single or, if married, do not use the Married Filing Separate status.
You, your spouse and children, if applicable, all have Social Security numbers.
You and your spouse are not considered as a qualifying child of someone else.
You are not excluding any income you earned in a foreign country on your return.
You are a citizen or resident of the United States.
You have dependents, or if you don't, you are at least 24 if you were at least a part-time student for at least 5 months of the year, or at least 18 if you are a former foster child after turning 14 or homeless youth, otherwise at least 19, and you have lived in the United States for more than half of the year.
Things to bring to your Tax preparation appointment:
copies of child's birth certificate,
social security card,
documentation child(ren) lived with you more than half the year. These may be health, school or other records that show child's name, and your address.