IRS to propose rules about new $500 non-child dependent tax credit

The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department published a notice Tuesday saying they intend to issue proposed regulations clarifying who is a qualifying relative for the new $500 credit for dependents and head of household filing status for years in which the exemption amount is zero for tax years 2018 through 2025.

Notice 2018-70 explains that proposed regulations will provide that the reduction of the personal exemption amount to zero won’t be taken into account for purposes of the $500 credit and head of household filing status. Instead, the exemption amount for the application of these provisions will be treated as $4,150, as adjusted for inflation, for years in which the exemption amount is zero.

Taxpayers can rely on the rules spelled out in the notice until the proposed regulations are issued.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act got rid of personal exemptions that have traditionally been used to claim dependents. Instead, it includes a $500 credit for non-child dependents, such as elderly disabled parents or children over the age of 17. For children, the child tax credit doubled from $1,000 to $2,000 per qualifying child. The tax cuts on the individual side expire in 2025, which is why the guidance only applies for tax years 2018 through 2025.

Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg