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@rcooley25 wrote:

. Regarding the mother the child does not have to be her dependent to get head of household status>

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But the child should still be entered in to the software.  Besides Head of Household, correctly entering the child can affect the Earned Income Credit, the Dependent Care Credit, and possibly some other things.

That is why you should enter the child in the software, but indicate the the Child Tax Credit is given away via 8332.