Splitting the child dependents?

My daughter and her two kids live with me. I provide 90% of the household expenses. Per the rules, both my daughter and I qualify to claim the kids as dependents. (I used to be able to claim her as disabled adult child dependent, but now she works PT and made over $5,050 in 2024).

If I claim them (or one of them) as dependents, I get to file as Head of Household.

If she claims them (or one of them) as dependents, she gets the Earned Income Credit.

Best scenario is if I claim one, and she claims the other child. Is it legal? All the instructions I find always talk about "the child" as if no one ever has more than one. Or is it because it's totally okay to look at each child individually?

Posted Apr 1, 2025, 11:01 AM UTC

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