Life changes
Your Child Is Getting Older: Credits That Change With Age
Nothing about your income changed, but the refund did. Several benefits for children stop at set ages, and the year a child passes one of them is often the year the refund shrinks.
Reviewed by LaToya Clark-Thompson, FounderLast updated
The ages that matter
Each benefit has its own age test, and the child’s age at the end of the tax year is what counts:
- Under 13: the child and dependent care credit for daycare, after-school care or summer day camp. Only care for the part of the year before the 13th birthday counts.
- Under 17: the child tax credit. Once a child turns 17, the larger child tax credit is replaced by the much smaller credit for other dependents.
- Under 19, or under 24 if a full-time student: the child can still be your qualifying child for dependency, head of household and the earned income credit.
- Past those ages: the child may still be your dependent as a qualifying relative, but only if their own income is below a limit and you provide more than half their support. A child who is permanently and totally disabled has no age limit.
What changes on your return
The biggest drop usually comes when a child turns 17 and the child tax credit becomes the credit for other dependents. A second change hits single parents: when your youngest child stops being a qualifying child or a dependent, you may lose head of household status and file as single, with a smaller standard deduction and narrower brackets.
Earned income credit changes with the number of qualifying children, so a child aging out can reduce it or end it. Our page on a smaller refund than last year covers the other reasons refunds drop.
When your child starts filing
- A teenager with a W-2 job usually files to get their withholding back. They check the box that someone else can claim them.
- Investment income in a child’s name, such as from a custodial account, can be taxed at the parent’s rate under the kiddie tax rules (Form 8615).
- Once your child is no longer your dependent, they can claim their own education credits and other benefits.
What to bring to your appointment
- Each child’s date of birth and Social Security number
- Enrollment records or Form 1098-T if a child over 18 is a student
- Your child’s W-2 or other income, if they worked
- A rough idea of what you paid toward an older child’s housing, food and other costs, for the support test
- Any brokerage or bank statements in a child’s name
Common mistakes, and when to get help
- A working teen filing as if no one can claim them, which then blocks the parent’s claim
- Continuing to claim a child over 19 who is not a full-time student and earns too much to qualify as a relative
- Claiming dependent care for a child who has turned 13
- Not adjusting withholding, so the drop in credits shows up as a balance due
It is worth looking ahead the year before a child turns 17 or finishes school, so the change does not arrive as a surprise. A short tax planning conversation or a W-4 update with the withholding calculator can soften it. We prepare parent and child returns together at your appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my refund go down when my child turned 17?
Because the child tax credit applies only to children under 17 at the end of the year. After that, the child usually qualifies for the credit for other dependents, which is much smaller and not refundable. Nothing else has to change for the refund to drop. Updating your W-4 ahead of that year spreads the change across your paychecks.
Can I still claim my child after they turn 19?
Yes, if they are a full-time student for part of at least five months of the year and under 24, or permanently and totally disabled. Otherwise they may still be your dependent as a qualifying relative, which requires their gross income to be under a yearly limit and you to provide more than half their support. We check both paths at your appointment.
Will I lose head of household when my youngest moves out?
You may. Head of household requires a qualifying person who lived with you more than half the year, with an exception for a dependent parent. If your youngest no longer lives with you or no longer qualifies, you would file as single unless another qualifying person lives with you. The difference in tax can be noticeable, so plan for it.
Does my teenager need to file taxes for a summer job?
Often only to get their withholding back. A dependent with only job income below the filing threshold is not required to file, but if tax was withheld from their paycheck, filing is the only way to get it refunded. Self-employment income, like babysitting or mowing for many clients, has a lower threshold. They should mark that someone else can claim them.
Not the question you had? The full tax FAQ covers more ground, and our client reviews say what the work is actually like.
Related pages
Your child started college
Form 1098-T, the education credits, 529 withdrawals and who should claim the student.
Learn moreSingle parent, head of household
The head of household tests, who counts as a qualifying person and the mistakes to avoid.
Learn moreYou had a baby
Child tax credit, dependent care, filing status and the Social Security number you need first.
Learn moreYou adopted a child
The adoption credit, which expenses qualify, timing rules and getting a tax ID for your child.
Learn moreYour refund is smaller than last year
Withholding, aged-out credits, side income and status changes: the usual reasons a refund drops, and how to tell which one is yours.
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