standard deduction for a dependent child
This complicated rule says your child's standard deduction is the greater of the following two amounts: 1  the minimum standard deduction ($950 for 2009), or. 2  The child's earned income plus a base amount ($300 for 2009), but not more than the regular standard deduction for a single person ($5,700 for 2009).ersonal exemption. The personal exemption is another fairly hefty deduction: $3,650 for 2009. Unfortunately, a child can't claim a personal exemption if someone else is entitled to claim the exemption. That's true even if the other person doesn't actually claim the exemption.