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child tax credit, age 17 cutoff
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Posted by jiggreen (My Page) on Thu, Feb 9, 06 at 22:06
| I was just wondering if anyone knew the logic behind cutting off the child tax credit at age 17, thereby making any child ineligible if they turned 17 at any point in time during that year. Why 17? Why not 18, or why not "the year of high school graduation". My 17 year old is in 11th grade, and my husband about blew a gasket when he found out that we only would receive the tax credit for our 7 year old for 2005. I know they had to pick a cutoff age, but 17 just seems to be a strange age.
jiggreen |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: child tax credit, age 17 cutoff
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| like anything else the fed does, it makes no sense. |
RE: child tax credit, age 17 cutoff
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| I hear you! Mine turned 17 in November, and it really hurts to not get that credit. No logic whatsoever. I always thought you got the credit until 18 or as long as a full time student. We're going to owe big time because hubby was on unemployment for half the year, which is of course taxable. Another thing that makes no sense; I know it's income, but if you're on unemployment, you really can't afford to sock away money for taxes. Why don't they withhold? |
RE: child tax credit, age 17 cutoff
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| The government's short of money. Nicking middle class folks - a little nick here, a little one there. **Plus** running up huge deficits - to add to a gargantuan government debt. To fund those tax cuts - remember them? That benefit mostly ... ... whom? Tough trying to make a shrunken blanket cover both toes and neck - in a cold house. Have a great week, everyone. ole joyful |
RE: child tax credit, age 17 cutoff
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if you ask they will withhold federal taxes for unemployment. You need to ask though, they don't do it automatically. NY State will NOT withhold state taxes from unemployment. I assume that they want you to ask because this is a temporary thing and they are hoping you will find a job soon and it will pay you more money. The unemployment check is just a way to help you pay your bills while you are looking for a new job. Some people have more bills than there check pays (as there is a cap on payment) so if you bet on getting a better paying job soon, not withholding taxes may be better for you.
I personally withheld my federal taxes, I didn't want to worry about it later.
-renee |
RE: child tax credit, age 17 cutoff
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| This is just a guess, but older than 16 wouldn't really seem like a "child" anymore, at least to me. A more basic question of fairness could also be why have this credit at all, since it effectively requires childless couples to pay higher tax rates than couples that have decided to have kids. I, by the way, have two kids, a four year old and a six year old, but don't usually qualify for the credit. |
RE: child tax credit, age 17 cutoff
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| How do you not qualify for the credit? I thought it was automatic as long as your kids live with you and aren't claimed on someone else's taxes. Ohhh...maybe that's why... Well, as for a kid not being a kid once he/she reaches 16 - most parents continue to support their kids through high school (and college, for that matter.) Age 18 makes much more sense; age 22 as long as a full time student makes even more. At least they could pro-rate the credit the year your child turns 17; mine did in november and it hurts to lose the entire credit when he was 16 almost the entire year. |
RE: child tax credit, age 17 cutoff
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i just did some sleuthing, and i guess not everybody qualifies for the credit, if you have a high income (so perhaps that is why richard_f said he didnt qualify)
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http://financialplan.about.com/cs/taxes/a/ChildTaxCredit.htm Married Filing Jointly: $110,000
Married Filing Separately: $55,000
Other Filing Status: $75,000 "The definition of a qualifying child changed in 2005. The IRS hasn't updated its Web site with this information, but my understanding is that for purposes of the Child Tax Credit, as of 2005 a qualifying child is someone who: Is under the age of 17 at the end of 2005.
Is your son, daughter, legally adopted child, grandchild, stepchild, eligible foster child, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, or a descendant of any of the above. The total credit (not the amount per child) is reduced by $50 for each $1,000 that your adjusted gross income exceeds the income threshold. "
_____________________________________________________ i wish our income was high enough that we didn't qualify, but since we are well within the income requirements, i think it's ridiculous that our 17 year old (who was 16 for 3/4 of the year 2005) is not eligible for the credit. we've had more expenses for him this year than for our 7 year old! |
RE: child tax credit, age 17 cutoff
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| Many of us don't qualify. I have three which meet the age requirements and most years we don't get anything or very little. Has nothing to do with the gov. trying to help you cover expenses for the kids. Just a political move to look "family friendly." My oldest son wasn't expensive at 17 since by that time he was working and I expected him to pick up expenses for things he wanted. I do wish it had been on the books when he was small. I would have qualified then. Gloria |
RE: child tax credit, age 17 cutoff
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| As for continuing to support your kids after they turn 17, you can still claim an exemption for them as dependents up to age 24 if they are full time students. The credit is on top of that. I finished my return and filed electronically yesterday. I actually did get a partial child credit for 2005. It phases out if you're over the income limits. I still think that if people decide to have kids, knowing that it's not going to be cheap, there's a basic fairness issue in terms of the tax breaks that they get vs. people who can't or don't want to have children. |
Here is a link that might be useful: IRS Dependent test
RE: child tax credit, age 17 cutoff
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People that have kids DESERVE the tax break. If everyone decided to not have kids, there would be no future for man kind. The tax credit does not even come close to paying for the annual expense of raising a child, but it helps.
You childless folks need to realize that these kids will someday be paying into the social security system that will one day send you monthly checks in your senior years. As for the age 17 cutoff, that is the Feds way of saying, "Your kids is old enough to get a job and pay taxes." I have only one child remaining who is under 17 (last tax year I had two) and I don't get to claim any credit this year due to MAGI phase-out. |
RE: child tax credit, age 17 cutoff
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| I'm sorry . . . you mean there is an exemption AND a credit for a child? I had no idea. I guess I'm just another one of those clueless, undeserving childless folks. But I have kindly been paying taxes to support public education for 29 years, so that is something. |
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