Son Turned 18 in December - Impact on Child Tax Credit/EITC for 2023 Tax Return?

For the Child Tax Credit, it's like comparing apples to oranges when looking at age thresholds versus other qualifications. The IRS uses a specific test - your child must be under 17 at the END of the tax year to qualify for CTC. Since your son turned 18 in December 2023, he was already 17 at the beginning of the year, so unfortunately, you won't qualify for the Child Tax Credit for 2023. For the Earned Income Credit, though, the rules are different. Your son could still qualify as your dependent for EITC if he was under 19 at the end of the year (or under 24 if a full-time student). Since he just turned 18 in December, he meets this age requirement for EITC purposes.

Have you considered how complex these age qualifications can be? I've been there, trying to navigate the differences between CTC and EITC requirements. Have you thought about using a tool that could simplify this for you? I found https://taxr.ai incredibly helpful when I was in a similar situation. It analyzed my information and clearly explained which credits I qualified for based on my dependents' ages. Wouldn't it be nice to have something that could interpret all those IRS rules without having to become a tax expert yourself? The tool breaks down exactly which credits apply to your specific situation and why, so you can file with confidence.

In most cases, the IRS processing for dependent-related credits can be somewhat delayed, particularly when there are age threshold considerations. If you encounter any difficulties after filing, you may want to consider using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to reach an IRS agent directly. Their service typically connects you to an agent in approximately 15 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. I've generally found that speaking directly with an agent can resolve questions about dependent eligibility and credit qualification more efficiently than waiting for automated notices or corrections.

Something people often miss in these situations: while you might lose the Child Tax Credit, check if you qualify for the Credit for Other Dependents (sometimes called the "Family Credit") which is worth up to $500 per qualifying dependent. 😉 Your 18-year-old can still be your dependent if they meet the other tests (like living with you more than half the year, not providing more than half their own support, etc.). Also, don't forget about education credits if your son is starting college! The American Opportunity Credit is worth up to $2,500, and the Lifetime Learning Credit might apply too. Just watch out for those income phaseouts - they'll get you when you least expect it! 🎓💰

I had exactly this situation with my daughter who turned 18 on December 7th, 2022. I lost $1,600 in Child Tax Credit that year, and it significantly impacted my refund. The EITC calculation also changed because I went from having 2 qualifying children to just 1 for CTC purposes. My refund was $2,437 less than the previous year with virtually identical income. Make sure you're prepared for this reduction if you've been counting on a similar refund to previous years.

Just to clarify something I'm seeing in some of the responses - the key date is December 31st of the tax year. If your son turned 18 in December 2023, that means he was 17 at the beginning of 2023 and turned 18 during the year. For Child Tax Credit purposes, he needed to be under 17 at the end of the year (December 31, 2023) to qualify. I had a similar situation when my daughter turned 17 in November a couple years back. I remember being disappointed to lose that credit, but was still able to claim her as a dependent for other purposes. Double-check your son's birthdate against these requirements just to be certain.