My ex seems to think that he is qualified to claim both children on taxes this year... we have joint custody and have each claimed one child for the 3 yrs since we've been divorced.. last yr I went back to school, so my income was lower since I didn't work a full year, but I do have income from 2004. Thanks for any advice.

Nrandazz:

It would help if I knew how much income you earned in 2005. It is possible that you do not need your child's exemption this year. More than likely, your ex is in a higher tax bracket, and the exemption ($3,200 for 2005) could be worth a lot more to him than to you.

I suggest that you negotiate with your ex for the exemption. You must release the exemption to him in writing, so you hold all the cards. He could claim the exemption and reimburse you for the loss for you not claiming the exemption. That way, it's a win-win situation.

You both may need to use the same tax professional to run the figures for you. Be sure to use someone you both trust!

Thank you for your reply... in this case... my ex wants to claim all... so I think it prob best for us to proceed as usual... I will claim one dependent... appreciate the advice