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My Ex Claimed My Child as a Dependent; Now What?

You can’t divide a dependent exemption in half.

So, your ex claimed your child as a dependent on their tax return, when you were the only parent eligible to do this. Was it out of revenge? Maybe it was just miscommunication? Perhaps they believed they were actually allowed to? It happens. Regardless of the reason they did it, now you need to fix it and prevent this from happening in the future. RapidTax is here to help.

What will happen if I e-file my tax return?

You are the custodial parent of your child. Are you sure? To avoid confusion with the tax jargon I just threw your way, a custodial parent (for tax purposes, anyways) is the parent who the child lives with for the majority of nights per year. If both parents spent an equal amount of time with the child, then the parent with the highest adjusted gross income is the custodial parent (by default), according to the IRS. Keep in mind that determining who the custodial parent is does not depend on a state or county court ruling. For tax purposes, the IRS only considers federal law.

If both you and your ex e-file your tax returns and claim your child as a dependent, the one of you who filed second will be rejected by the IRS. This is inevitable. Even if you are the custodial parent, the IRS e-file system is a machine and you will still need to prove this.

What steps do I need to take to prove that I am the eligible parent?

The first thing to understand is that each tax situation is unique, and the best thing to do is contact the IRS directly for specific instructions on how to proceed. However, if you want a general idea of the steps you’ll need to take, keep reading.

Step #1: Double check that you meet all of the eligibility requirements set up by the IRS. This is important because if you do not meet even one of the following and your ex does, it could work against you. These requirements are: Continue reading “My Ex Claimed My Child as a Dependent; Now What?”

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How Many Kids Can You Claim on Taxes?

Kids are great! But they can be taxing…in more ways than one.

Growing up, my parents would always give me an increase on my allowance around April. They would say it was to teach me how to budget my money. Not to sell out my parents or anything but now I know that they were able to give me a little extra once a year because they were getting more back from the IRS after filing and claiming me as a dependent.

Let’s just say, those little bonuses stopped once I began filing my own taxes.

Is there a limit to how many dependents I can claim on my tax return?

No, there is no maximum amount of dependents you’re allowed to claim on your tax return. You can claim all dependents who are qualified child dependents according to IRS rules. Consider it a token of appreciation for supporting the ever-increasing costs of diapers, astronomical college tuition fees and for simply putting food on the table each night.

What qualifies a child as my dependent?

You may see this question to have a simple answer if you are married parents filing a joint return. However, for single parents, married parents who file separately or other relatives, the answer is not as clear.

A qualifying child dependent has slightly different requirements than a qualifying relative dependent does. In order to be considered a qualifying child dependent, they must meet all of the following requirements:

Continue reading “How Many Kids Can You Claim on Taxes?”

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Earned Income Tax Credit Tips for Single & Head of Household Filers

The Earned Income Tax Credit can add a total of up to $6,044 to your tax refund!

Being a single parent is no picnic. Parenthood is a tough gig, especially when you’re on your own.

Raising a family on one source of income is enough of a headache. On top of that, you have dinner to cook, homework to help with, and sports games to attend. It’s clear, you have a lot on your plate and could use more money in your pocket.

Here’s something you must know: to lessen the financial burden of being a single parent, the IRS offers the Earned Income Tax Credit to qualifying tax filers.

Why Your Income Matters

The EITC or EIC is a refundable tax credit that is only offered to taxpayers who earn low-to-moderate income from their job or from being self-employed. That means if you don’t work, you cannot claim the credit.

In addition, once your income goes over a certain threshold, you won’t qualify to receive the tax credit. Continue reading “Earned Income Tax Credit Tips for Single & Head of Household Filers”