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Section 11022(a) of the Act amended § 24 of the Code to create a $500 credit for certain dependents of a taxpayer other than a qualifying child described in § 24(c), for whom the child tax credit is allowed. The $500 credit applies to two categories of dependents: (1) qualifying children for whom a child tax credit is not allowed and (2) qualifying relatives as defined in § 152(d). See § 24(h)(4)(A). Like the amendment to § 151(d) reducing the exemption amount to zero, this new credit applies for taxable years 2018 through 2025. The Conference Report explains the intended scope of this credit: “The credit is further modified to temporarily provide for a $500 nonrefundable credit for qualifying dependents other than qualifying children. The provision generally retains the present-law definition of dependent.” See H.R. Rep. No. 115-466 at 227 (emphasis added).
Separately, Code § 2(b)(1)(A) defines a head of household to include an individual who is not married at the close of the taxable year, who is not a surviving spouse (as defined in § 2(a)), and who maintains as his or her home a household for a qualifying individual for the required period of time. A qualifying individual under § 2(b)(1)(A)(ii) includes a qualifying relative if the taxpayer is entitled to a deduction under § 151 for the person for the taxable year. Under § 151(c), a deduction is allowed for individuals who are dependents as defined in § 152, including qualifying relatives described in § 152(d). SECTION 3. GUIDANCE UNDER CONSIDERATION The Treasury Department and the IRS intend to issue proposed regulations providing that the reduction of the exemption amount to zero under § 151(d)(5)(A) for taxable years 2018-2025 will not be taken into account in determining whether a person