I have two teenage children (one is 18, one is almost 17). They both have after school/weekend jobs. Can I still claim them on my taxes if they work? If I claim them, will they be able to file a tax return? I am a single mother and their dad does not have any sort of custody. He pays child support only sporadically. Oh yes, I also take the Earned Income Credit on my taxes. Will I be able to continue to claim EIC?

As longer they do not claim themselves.

You can claim them if
1. The child is under 17, (correction: The child is under 19).
2. Lived with you for more than 6 months, and
3. The child did not provide more than half of his own support.

If you can claim the child, the child can not claim his own exemption on the tax return.
Read Your U.S. Tax Return: Requirements for claiming a dependent

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Originally Posted by MukatA

You can claim them if
1. The child is under 17,
2. Lived with you for more than 6 months, and
3. The child did not provide more than half of his own support.

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Regarding item 1 - the age limit for a qualifying child is he must be either (a) under 19 at the end of the year, or (b) under 24 and a full time student.

The Bottom line is, YES, you can claim them as long as they do NOT claim themselves on their own tax returns.

You should take charge come tax filing time and supervise the submission of their tax returns to make sure they do NOT claim themselves. If you claim them and they inadvertently claim themselves, it will cause a LOT of delay in you receiving your refund.

If you can claim the child as a dependent, the child can not claim his/her own exemption.

So if his dad claims him and he don't do his own taxes does his dad have to claim his taxes?

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Originally Posted by jennifer5

So if his dad claims him and he dont do his own taxes does his dad have to claim his taxes?

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Jennifer - please note that this thread is over two years old! And I don't understand your question - are you asking whether the father - who does not liive with the children and does not provide any kind of suppport - can clam the kids as his dependents? The answer is no - the custodial parent is the one who claims the children.