Do you have any thoughts on college students 17 years and up not receiving any benefit from this package if they are claimed as dependents on their parents’ tax return? An 18 year-old and up will be eligible for neither the $1,200 as an adult, nor for the $500 as a dependent. I believe these special circumstances call for an exception to the tax rules and the inclusion of this group in this package or at least future aid packages since we don’t know how long these pandemic-related orders will last. There is the option of not claiming them on the 2019 tax return but that will come across as gaming the system and may still make them ineligible anyway. The inequities will be huge since parents with dependents 16 and under will get $1,000 in Child Tax Credit and an additional $500 with this relief package. Parents with 17 years-old and up get Earned Income Credit of (I believe) $500 and $0 from the relief package. It is more expensive IMO to feed say a 17 through 23 year-old, than it is say a 3 to 10 year-old. This is not an entitlement issue, I’m seeking thoughts on this equity issue. TIA
Not sure which “thoughts on this equity issue” you are looking for that are not political advocacy, which is better directed at your politicians (whose next bill on the matter could theoretically change the rules) than on this forum.
IMO this is a discussion that can only go sideways into politics so I’m going to shut the thread down now.