I’m trying to do my daughter’s taxes and need some help. She has two kids, and I wondered if she and the father could each claim a child on their tax return. They feel like that’s the only fair option. Would that be an issue?
Are they married?
Do they all live together?
How much do they each make?
Ari said:
Are they married?
Do they all live together?
How much do they each make?
Not married, not living together
Ari said:
Are they married?
Do they all live together?
How much do they each make?
Not married, not living together
Which parent did each child spend more nights with?
Roughly how much do they each make? That factors into the best way to claim the kids.
@Ari
He makes around $60K and owns a house. My daughter only worked part-time this year due to a medical issue and only made around $10K. They split time equally.
Ash said:
@Ari
He makes around $60K and owns a house. My daughter only worked part-time this year due to a medical issue and only made around $10K. They split time equally.
2024 was a leap year, but are you sure that the child spent 183 nights with each parent? This is a critical factor.
@Mai
Does that really matter by one night?
Yes, the parent the child spent the most nights with is considered the child’s custodial parent. The custodial parent is the only one that can claim the child for the purpose of Head of Household filing status (it doesn’t sound like your daughter would qualify for this status, though, unless she has other funds she used for paying the cost of keeping up a home for the child/children), the Child & Dependent Care Credit, and the Earned Income Credit.
The Child Tax Credit and Credit for Other Dependents would typically also go to the custodial parent, but they can give the non-custodial parent the right to claim these benefits by giving them Form 8332.
No, it doesn’t. You’re talking to someone who doesn’t have kids.
Ash said:
@Ari
He makes around $60K and owns a house. My daughter only worked part-time this year due to a medical issue and only made around $10K. They split time equally.
Yes, it is likely better for them each to claim 1 child then.
Ash said:
@Ari
He makes around $60K and owns a house. My daughter only worked part-time this year due to a medical issue and only made around $10K. They split time equally.
Should they list both on each and only claim one, or just enter 1 under each parent?
@Ash
No, they should each only claim one. They should not enter anything about the other child on their return.
Ari said:
@Ash
No, they should each only claim one. They should not enter anything about the other child on their return.
Thank you
Ari said:
Are they married?
Do they all live together?
How much do they each make?
Not married, not living together
My guess is that they aren’t necessarily amicable? It would be better for the dad to claim them both since he’ll receive $2K per child. Because your daughter made so little money, she’ll only receive $1,700. If they were agreeable to it, I’d have the father claim both and pay the mother $2K after he received his refund.
It’s only $300 but still.
Ari said:
Are they married?
Do they all live together?
How much do they each make?
What does any of this matter? I can claim their kids if they gave me their socials…as long as no one else does.
@Ripley
Lol, some people think it does work that way though.
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Presley said:
[deleted]
That is all incorrect. If the parents agree, then kids can be claimed by the non-custodial parent. Also, the tiebreaker rule for kids that spend exactly 183 nights with each parent is the parent with the higher AGI gets to claim them. Again, either parent can claim the child with permission from the other parent. Sheesh.
@Uma
Yes, but based on the current post no permission has been discussed. We first need to determine who is the custodial parent so they can give the non-custodial parent permission to claim the child by filling out Form 8332.