How does being a single mom impact your income taxes?

♥♪Megan♫♥ - posted on 02/15/2012

Lexi, my mom used to work for H&R block as an office manager and does my taxes. Legally your ex has no claim to a child tax credit since your son doesn't reside with your ex at all. In order to claim your child the child either has to reside with your ex for 1/2 the year or more or you have to have something drawn up in court that he can claim your son on alternate years.



Also Angel is right that child support isn't taxable (it wasn't in New York where I'm from) Your ex does have to claim it on his taxes, but that's about it. I would definitely take your ex to court about everything from custody to child support back payments.



Finally, it wouldn't be in his best interest to claim the child since he doesn't meet any of the requirements to claim the child.(do your taxes as soon as you can just in case) My ex husband and his wife tried to claim our daughter a few years ago after coming back from tour in Afghanistan and he didn't meet ANY of the requirements for the child tax credit. He and his wife had to pay back all of the money they had received from the IRS and he was told if he did that again he'd get jail time. Of course the IRS didn't find out until after I'd filed my taxes and my refund took a while. But it was nice that he finally had some payback after doing something illegal.

Angela - posted on 02/15/2012

Wow that is a crazy term, possession. Technically in my state if the father's name is not on the birth certificate, he legally has no claim and if he were to take the child he could be charged with kidnapping.

Lexi - posted on 02/12/2012

Thanks Angela! its just all so confusing!! His "father"s name isnt on the birth certificate, but i was told that legally, neither of us has custody. . .i have "posession" of the child but there's still nothing stopping my ex from walking in whenever he wants and taking my son frome me. But as soon as i can, I'm getting custody and he wont have that chance! :)

Angela - posted on 02/09/2012

Child support is not taxable. The IRS has guidlines in place to prevent the non-custodial parent from claiming the child. As long as you are the custodial parent and did not sign anything that allows him to take your son, then you should be good to go with claiming your son!!

M - posted on 01/26/2012

No problem! I hope and pray it all works out for you! :)

Lexi - posted on 01/26/2012

Melinda, thank you SO much!! He owes about $3200 in child support. . .we've had a court order for child support since Aug of 2011, but i filed in Nov 2010. . .i've recieved 3 payments, all $130 short of what they're supposed to be. As far as i know he doesnt have Noah's social so that shouldn't be a problem. .Thanks again!!

M - posted on 01/25/2012

If he is filing his taxes, he would need to have your son's Social Security number in order to claim your son. Only one parent can claim the child as a deduction and that person is the primary caregiver/person with sole custody. If your ex doesn't pay much child support and there is a court order to pay, the state can take his tax return and deposit that straight to you (should that be the case). That CAN happen. I don't know that child support is taxable, but I would imagine you'd get a tax form in the mail sometime soon if that is the case. I hope that helps!