6 New Baby Tax Deductions, Credits & Exemptions – Tax Info for Parents (2024)

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Welcoming a new baby to the family is a joyous occasion. It’s a year full of celebration, milestones, and firsts. My husband I used to joke that the kids were totally worth it for the tax deductions they got us.

Just kidding….we probably woulda had them anyway. 🙂

And yes, we 100% put our first born child in this tax deduction onesie! As a tax accountant, it was my solemn sworn duty!

6 New Baby Tax Deductions, Credits & Exemptions – Tax Info for Parents (1)6 New Baby Tax Deductions, Credits & Exemptions – Tax Info for Parents (2)

Jokes aside, newborn babies do come with tax implications. If you have a January through spring baby, you have a little bit of time to research new baby tax deductions. But if you have your little one later in the year, you don’t have much time to figure out what to do.

Many questions crossed our minds after the birth of our first child – in November, no less. We didn’t have much time to get our act together before taxes were due!

Here are some the questions that raced through our minds regarding tax deductions for babies:

  • What do you claim on your tax return for a newborn baby?
  • Do you need to know their Social Security number?
  • Do I claim full amounts even if the baby was born late in the year?
  • How the heck will I have the mental energy to file this tax return when I’m operating on minimal sleep?!

Ok, so that last one wasn’t a real tax question, but it was the truth! 🙂6 New Baby Tax Deductions, Credits & Exemptions – Tax Info for Parents (3)

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Your baby, assuming he or she meets the IRS dependency test, will get you a sweet dependent exemption. In 2014, each child reduces your taxable income by $3,950 if your adjusted gross income is $152,525 or less. The 2015 dependent exemption will be $4,000.

The dependent exemption is phased out starting at a certain income level, so keep that in mind if you make over $150k per year.

In order to claim an exemption for your new baby, you will need to have a Social Security number for him or her. The hospital discharge paperwork should have included information on obtaining your baby’s Social Security card. I believe our hospital team actually submitted the form on our behalf. But if this wasn’t the case for you, you can get the information you need to request a SSN for your little one from the Social Security Administration website, SSA.gov.

In addition to the whopping personal exemption you get for each child, here is a longer list of tax benefits available to families with children. For more information on all of these, see the instructions to Form 1040 and Publication 501 for further explanation. IRS.gov is also a great resource for general research.

  • Child tax credit – You can get the full credit even if your child was born late in the year. It’s subject to income limitations. See IRS Form 8812.
  • Credit for child care expenses – Expenses you incur in order to return to work after your baby is born can earn you a tax credit. It is also subject to income limitations. See IRS Form 2241.
  • Flex spending account – If you or your spouse has a job that offers a flexible spending account for child care expenses, you can divert some of your income to that account and pay for child care costs with pre-tax dollars. The only drawback is that the amount of costs covered by your flex account reduces how much you can claim in child care expense credits. Review the rules for this in the tax return instructions.
  • Medical expense deduction – If you are like me and had to pay quite a bit out of pocket to have each child, there’s a possibility you can claim some of these medical expenses as an itemized deduction on Schedule A, subject to restrictions, of course. See instructions for Form 1040, Schedule A.
  • Earned Income Credit – It’s also worth noting that your eligibility for claiming the Earned Income Credit (for people with incomes below $52,427 in 2014) changes based on the number of children you have. Everything you need to know about the EIC is included in Publication 596.

Hopefully this post gives you some insight as to what to be on the lookout for because the last thing you want is to forget to keep some of your hard-earned money! Especially when you have diapers to buy. 🙂

If you use a tax preparation software to prepare your tax return, you’ll be guided through the ins and outs of eligible tax deductions for your new baby.

IRS Publication 501– Exemptions, Standard Deduction & Filing Information (2014 tax year edition)

Form 1040 – Individual Income Tax Return (2015 not ready yet…I’ll update this when it is!)

Disclaimer: Although I am a tax accountant, I am not YOUR tax accountant. Before relying on any advice on this blog, please consult a CPA who will be able to advise you on your particular set of tax circ*mstances.

This post is included in the Complete Guide for Stay-at-Home-Moms, a collaborative effort by over 50 mom bloggers

If you’re ready to file your 2015 tax returns, you might need this: TurboTax Deluxe 2019. It’s what I use to prepare my taxes every year!

This post was brought to you by Wayfair, my favorite new addiction!

6 New Baby Tax Deductions, Credits & Exemptions – Tax Info for Parents (4)

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Lena Gott

I'm a CPA turned SAHM of 3 little ones ages 4, 6, and 9. I'm a mommy by day, blogger by night. Join me as I write about fun kids activities, family finances, and losing 50 lbs after baby #3.

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6 New Baby Tax Deductions, Credits & Exemptions – Tax Info for Parents (2024)

FAQs

What are the new tax credits for parents? ›

People who earned $63,398 or less in 2023 may be eligible for this valuable tax credit. For tax year 2023, the EITC is as much as $7,430 for a family with three or more children or $600 for taxpayers who don't have a qualifying child.

What is the tax deduction for having a baby? ›

Parents may qualify for helpful tax breaks on everything from child care to educational costs and even supplies, in some cases. The Child Tax Credit is worth up to $2,000 per qualifying child (tax year 2023) with a refundable portion of up to $1,600 with the Additional Child Tax Credit.

What is the child tax credit and deductions? ›

Key Takeaways. The Child Tax Credit can reduce your taxes by up to $2,000 per qualifying child age 16 or younger. If you do not owe taxes, up to $1,600 of the child tax credit may be refundable through the Additional Child Tax Credit for 2023.

Does a newborn qualify for a tax credit? ›

Yes, if your child was born alive during the year and the tests for claiming your child as a dependent are met, you may claim her as a dependent. You may also be entitled to claim: The child tax credit (CTC) and/or additional child tax credit (ACTC)

Who qualifies for the $500 other dependent credit? ›

The maximum credit amount is $500 for each dependent who meets certain conditions. This credit can be claimed for: Dependents of any age, including those who are age 18 or older. Dependents who have Social Security numbers or Individual Taxpayer Identification numbers.

How much is a Child Tax Credit? ›

For tax year 2021, the Child Tax Credit increased from $2,000 per qualifying child to: $3,600 for children ages 5 and under at the end of 2021; and. $3,000 for children ages 6 through 17 at the end of 2021.

What is the 5000 tax write off for a newborn? ›

Background on the Family Growth and Investment Act:

Allows for a one-time, above-the-line tax deduction of up to $5,000 for non-medical expenses that are essential and costly during a newborn's first year of life. Includes items like bottles, diapers, baby formula, cribs, strollers, and car seats.

Do you get money for having a baby? ›

You can get Statutory Shared Parental Pay if you're employed and you're eligible for either: Statutory Maternity Pay or Statutory Adoption Pay. Statutory Paternity Pay and your partner is eligible for Statutory Maternity Pay, Maternity Allowance or Statutory Adoption Pay.

Are diapers tax deductible? ›

You can't include in medical expenses the amount you pay for diapers or diaper services, unless they are needed to relieve the effects of a particular disease.”

How to get a $10,000 tax refund? ›

How do I get a 10,000 tax refund? You could end up with a $10,000 tax refund if you've paid significantly more tax payments than you owe at the end of the year.

Why did I get $300 from the IRS today? ›

Under the American Rescue Plan, most eligible families received the first payment on July 15, and payments will continue each month for the rest of 2021. For these families, each payment is up to $300 per month for each child under age 6 and up to $250 per month for each child ages 6 through 17.

How do you claim a child tax credit? ›

You can claim the Child Tax Credit by entering your children and other dependents on Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, and attaching a completed Schedule 8812, Credits for Qualifying Children and Other Dependents.

When can you claim a newborn on taxes? ›

Firstly, the baby must have been born before the end of the tax year. This means that if a baby was born on December 31st, 2023, parents can still claim them on their taxes for that year. Secondly, the baby must have a valid social security number.

What is the 3600 child tax credit? ›

How has the Child Tax Credit changed over the years? The American Rescue Plan raised the maximum Child Tax Credit in 2021 to $3,600 per child for qualifying children under the age of 6 and to $3,000 per child for qualifying children ages 6 through 17.

Why don't I qualify for child tax credit? ›

You need to have taxable income to receive the child tax credit. It may be that your income is too low to qualify for the credit. You may qualify for the "additional child tax credit" if you don't qualify for the normal credit of $2,000 per child. This will allow you to see if you have any income tax or credits.

Did they pass the $3600 Child Tax Credit? ›

That year, the child tax credit was temporarily expanded to give families up to $3,600 in monthly checks as a form of pandemic relief. The credit was also available for the first time ever that year to the nation's poorest families who don't file income taxes.

What is the new Child Tax Credit for 2024? ›

The child tax credit is a $2,000 benefit available to those with dependent children under 17. For the 2024 filing season, $1,600 of the credit was potentially refundable.

What is the additional Child Tax Credit for 2024? ›

That's due to changes to the partially refundable nature of the CTC, which provides up to $1,600 back in your annual tax refund if you don't owe taxes or you are getting a refund. Under the proposed bill, the maximum refundable amount per child would rise to $1,800 in 2023, $1,900 in 2024 and $2,000 in 2025.

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