Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit 2025
The Child and Dependent Care Calculator or CAREucator is for tax year 2025.
- Additional 2025 Tax Calculators.
- 2025 Tax Returns are due April, 2026 and can be e-filed until October 2026.
2025 Child
Dependent Care
Credit
The Child and Dependent Child Care Calculator—CAREucator—will let you know if you qualify for this non-refundable federal tax credit. If you paid someone to care for your child or dependent or another qualifying relative so you and/or your spouse could work, look for work, or go to school, then you may be able to claim the Child and Dependent Care Credit. Find out by launching the tool above.
Dependent care benefits may include the following:
- Payments from an employer paid directly to either the taxpayer or your care provider for the care of your qualifying person(s) while you worked
- The fair market value of care in a daycare facility provided or sponsored by your employer, and
- Pre-tax contributions you made under a dependent care FSA.
A taxpayer's salary may have been reduced to pay for these benefits. If a taxpayer received dependent care benefits as an employee, they should be shown in box 10 of your Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement. Benefits received as a partner should be shown in box 13 of your Schedule K-1 (Form 1065) with code O
Did you have earned income during the year?
Use the form 2441 to get a detailed overview: Detailed Child/Dependent Care Credit Overview Use the CAREucator above to calculate your child or dependent care credit.
Note: This tax credit is not the same as the Child Tax Credit. The CAREucator tool will guide you through the following criteria to determine if you qualify for the credit:
- A: Qualifying Person
- B: Earned Income
- C: Work-Related Expense
- D: Joint Return
- E: Care Provider Identification
Start the CAREucator above to find out if you qualify for this credit. Or, start a current Tax Return now and get the answer free before you e-File your returns, which are due by April 15, and find out if you qualify for the Child and Dependent Care Credit. Or, use the 2025 Tax Estimator to find out the tax credit amount and how it will impact your tax return.
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