Is the mother of a child entitled to the tax credit every year?

Question

Is the mother of a child entitled to the tax credit every year?

Answer 1

Your relationship to the child alone will not result in any tax benefit.  

Whether you receive a tax benefit for your child depends on the child's age, where the child lives, whether the child supported himself, and whether there is a written agreement waiving benefits to the other parent (or to you).

There are too many scenarios to cover here, but a summary appears in the IRS Publication 504 Divorced or Separated Individuals

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p504.pdf

Answer 2

Yes, until they are 18 years old. Also, Mom could receive "earned income credit" if her wages are below average.

Answer 3

Which tax credit are you asking about?  If it's the Child Tax Credit, that drops out in the year that the child turns 17.  If it's the Child & Dependent Care Credit, that drops out in the year that the child turns 14.  If it's the Earned Income Credit, she can claim that as long as she can claim the child under the Qualifying Child rule and meets the income guidelines for it.

Answer 4

There are a couple of different credits. Just being the mother does not automatically entitle you to the credits. If the child lives with you and you provide more than half his/her support and the child is under 19 then you would be entitle to the dependent exemption. For child care and dependent credit the child must be under 13. Then there are rules for EIC and the additional child tax credit.

Answer 5

The custodial parent, the parent the child spends the most time with, is entitled to the exemption for the child unless there is a court order saying otherwise, or unless that parent signs a form allowing the other parent to take the exemption.  The parent who claims the child as a dependent also gets the child tax credit.

Answer 6

I think those tax credits are meant for the parent or guardian of the child. The credits can be claimed by the person who has primary care of the child or had most financially supported the child for the majority of the year. Thats who the credit is meant for. If the childs father has sole custody then the mother wouldn't be entitled. Or if the grandparents had custodt then no parent is entitled.