Chapter 3
Rules If You Do Not Have a Qualifying Child

If you meet Rule 8, you have a qualifying child. If you meet Rule 8 and do not claim the EIC with a qualifying child, you cannot claim the EIC without a qualifying child.

You must be at least age 25 but under age 65 at the end of 2012. If you are married filing a joint return, either you or your spouse must be at least age 25 but under age 65 at the end of 2012. It does not matter which spouse meets the age test, as long as one of the spouses does.

You meet the age test if you were born after December 31, 1947, and before January 2, 1988. If you are married filing a joint return, you meet the age test if either you or your spouse was born after December 31, 1947, and before January 2, 1988.

If neither you nor your spouse meets the age test, you cannot claim the EIC. Put "No" next to line 64a (Form 1040), line 38a (Form 1040A), or line 8a (Form 1040EZ).

If you are filing a joint return with your spouse who died in 2012, you meet the age test if your spouse was at least age 25 but under age 65 at the time of death.

You are age 28 and unmarried. You meet the age test.

You are married and filing a joint return. You are age 23 and your spouse is age 27. You meet the age test because your spouse is at least age 25 but under age 65.

You are married and filing a joint return with your spouse who died in August 2012. You are age 67. Your spouse would have been age 65 in November 2012. Because your spouse was under age 65 when she died, you meet the age test.

If you are not filing a joint return, you meet this rule if:

• You checked box 6a on Form 1040 or 1040A, or
• You did not check the "You" box on line 5 of Form 1040EZ, and you entered $9,750 on that line.

If you are filing a joint return, you meet this rule if:

• You checked both box 6a and box 6b on Form 1040 or 1040A, or
• You and your spouse did not check either the "You" box or the "Spouse" box on line 5 of Form 1040EZ, and you entered $19,500 on that line.

If you are not sure whether someone else can claim you (or your spouse if filing a joint return) as a dependent, get Publication 501 and read the rules for claiming a dependent.

If someone else can claim you (or your spouse if filing a joint return) as a dependent on his or her return, but does not, you still cannot claim the credit.

In 2012, you were age 25, single, and living at home with your parents. You worked and were not a student. You earned $7,500. Your parents cannot claim you as a dependent. When you file your return, you claim an exemption for yourself by not checking the "You" box on line 5 of your Form 1040EZ and by entering $9,750 on that line. You meet this rule. You can claim the EIC if you meet all the other requirements.

The facts are the same as in Example 1, except that you earned $2,000. Your parents can claim you as a dependent but decide not to. You do not meet this rule. You cannot claim the credit because your parents could have claimed you as a dependent.

You generally cannot be claimed as a dependent by another person if you are married and file a joint return.

However, another person may be able to claim you as a dependent if you and your spouse file a joint return merely to claim a refund of income tax withheld or estimated tax paid. But neither you nor your spouse can be claimed as a dependent by another person if you claim the EIC on your joint return.

You are 26 years old. You and your wife live with your parents and had $800 of wages from part-time jobs and no other income. Neither you nor your wife is required to file a tax return. You do not have a child. Taxes were taken out of your pay so you file a joint return only to get a refund of the withheld taxes. Your parents are not disqualified from claiming an exemption for you just because you filed a joint return. They can claim exemptions for you and your wife if all the other tests to do so are met.

The facts are the same as in Example 1 except no taxes were taken out of your pay. Also, you and your wife are not required to file a tax return, but you file a joint return to claim an EIC of $63 and get a refund of that amount. Because claiming the EIC is your reason for filing the return, you are not filing it only to claim a refund of income tax withheld or estimated tax paid. Your parents cannot claim an exemption for either you or your wife.

You are a qualifying child of another taxpayer (your parent, guardian, foster parent, etc.) if all of the following statements are true.

1. You are that person's son, daughter, stepchild, grandchild, or foster child. Or, you are that person's brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, or stepsister (or the child or grandchild of that person's brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, or stepsister).
2. You were:
   1. Under age 19 at the end of the year and younger than that person (or that person's spouse, if the person files jointly),
   2. Under age 24 at the end of the year, a student, and younger than that person (or that person's spouse, if the person files jointly), or
   3. Permanently and totally disabled, regardless of age.
3. You lived with that person in the United States for more than half of the year.
4. You are not filing a joint return for the year (or are filing a joint return only as a claim for refund).

For more details about the tests to be a qualifying child, see Rule 8.

If you (or your spouse if filing a joint return) are a qualifying child of another taxpayer, you cannot claim the EIC. This is true even if the person for whom you are a qualifying child does not claim the EIC or meet all of the rules to claim the EIC. Put "No" next to line 64a (Form 1040), line 38a (Form 1040A), or line 8a (Form 1040EZ).

You lived with your mother all year. You are age 26, unmarried, and permanently and totally disabled. Your only income was from a community center where you went three days a week to answer telephones. You earned $5,000 for the year and provided more than half of your own support. Because you meet the relationship, age, residency, and joint return tests, you are a qualifying child of your mother for the EIC. She can claim the EIC if she meets all the other requirements. Because you are a qualifying child of your mother, you cannot claim the EIC. This is so even if your mother cannot or does not claim the EIC.

You generally cannot be a qualifying child of another taxpayer if you are married and file a joint return.

However, you may be a qualifying child of another taxpayer if you and your spouse file a joint return merely to claim a refund of income tax withheld or estimated tax paid. But neither you nor your spouse can be a qualifying child of another taxpayer if you claim the EIC on your joint return.

You are not the qualifying child of another taxpayer (and so may qualify to claim the EIC) if your parent (or other person for whom you meet the relationship, age, residency, and joint return tests) is not required to file an income tax return and either:

• Does not file an income tax return, or
• Files a return only to get a refund of income tax withheld or estimated tax paid.

You lived all year with your father. You are 27 years old, unmarried, permanently and totally disabled, and earned $13,000. You have no other income, no children, and provided more than half of your own support. Your father had no gross income, is not required to file a 2012 tax return, and does not file a 2012 tax return. As a result, you are not your father's qualifying child. You can claim the EIC if you meet all the other requirements to do so.

The facts are the same as in Example 1 except your father had wages of $1,500 and had income tax withheld from his wages. He files a return only to get a refund of the income tax withheld and does not claim the EIC or any other tax credits or deductions. As a result, you are not your father's qualifying child. You can claim the EIC if you meet all the other requirements to do so.

The facts are the same as in Example 2 except your father claimed the EIC on his return. Since he filed the return to get the EIC, he is not filing it only to get a refund of income tax withheld. As a result, you are your father's qualifying child. You cannot claim the EIC.

Your home (and your spouse's, if filing a joint return) must have been in the United States for more than half the year.

If it was not, put "No" next to line 64a (Form 1040), line 38a (Form 1040A), or line 8a (Form 1040EZ).

This means the 50 states and the District of Columbia. It does not include Puerto Rico or U.S. possessions such as Guam.

Your home can be any location where you regularly live. You do not need a traditional home. If you lived in one or more homeless shelters in the United States for more than half the year, you meet this rule.

U.S. military personnel stationed outside the United States on extended active duty (defined in chapter 2) are considered to live in the United States during that duty period for purposes of the EIC.