Because of the rising cost of living, the grand majority of modern families have two working parents who earn two separate incomes. Due to this situation, children are often taken care of during the day by someone other than their parents. When parents have to pay their taxes, the government is wiling to reward parents who have pay for someone else to care for their kids.
Child care is expensive. Whether you hire a nanny, utilize a day care center, or have a trusted friend or family member watch your child, the costs can add up quickly. However, some of the money that is used towards child care expenses throughout the year can be credited back to parents and guardians with the child and dependent care credit.
Parents and legal guardians of children that have had to pay for a child care under the age of thirteen can apply for the child care credit. In order to use a child as a means for application the child must live with you for a minimum of six months of the year.
Only children who are claimed as dependents and tax exemptions on your federal tax returns can be used to apply for the child care credit. In the case of couples with children who are now divorced or no longer living in the same home, only the parent who lives in the child’s primary resident is permitted to claim the tax credit.
The price of private school tuition is not applicable under the child care credit, but instead can be counted as part of the educational concerns category where it does indeed count towards a deduction. After school day care programs that are charged a price apart from regular tuition is applicable.
There is often confusion regarding just how dependent care spending accounts are reported on tax forms. It is important to understand that these spending accounts cannot be used to obtain the child care credit because, even though it is used to pay for the cost of child care, it is tax-free.
If you spend more money than what was originally proportioned in your dependent care spending account, it can be counted towards the child care credit. Parents who do not exceed the limit of these accounts, however, can only apply for the dependent care credit. The credit received will be twenty to thirty-five percent of what was spent.
For parents who have worked hard to pay for their children’s child care, the child care credit is quite beneficial. The money they spend earns them both the child care credit and a child tax credit.