No, for purposes of calculating the earned income credit, child support is not considered earned income. Earned income generally means wages salaries, tips, other taxable employee pay, and net earnings from self-employment. Employee pay is earned income only if it is taxable. Nontaxable employee pay, such as certain dependent care benefits and adoption benefits, is not earned income. But there is an exception for nontaxable combat pay, which you can choose to include in earned income. Earned income is explained in detail in Rule 7 in chapter 1 of Publication 596, Earned Income Credit.

Please refer to Publication 596, Earned Income Credit, for a complete discussion of the earned income credit.

References:

• Publication 596, Earned Income Credit
• Tax Topic 601, Earned Income Credit

Source: www.irs.gov