My son has been in a home daycare since April 2009, she is funded through the State, I pay her $6 an hour cash. I have spent approx $2500 in childcare expenses. I am a single mother who receives no help from the father. I really need to write off my daycare expenses but the provider refuses to give me her tax ID. What can I do?

This website is helpful and you can contact them for help too Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) Online (http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=102767,00.html)

Sorry here is the contact page How to Contact the IRS (http://www.irs.gov/contact/index.html)

Claim the day care costs using Form 2441, name the day care provided and providing her address.

Attach a statement to the return stating that the day care provider refuses to provide you with her tax ID #.

Recognize that, by doing this, you will subject your daycare provider to an IRS tax audit, which likely will sever your work relationship with her.

Tax ids are public. Go to your states secretary of state website. They should has a search for businesses.

Present her with a Form W-9 (which can be loaded from www.irs.gov). That is the official form that you use to request this kind of information. It MAY jolt her to obey the law and give you the information you need.

If not, see my earlier answer regarding how to file WITHOUT her tax ID (which, BTW, are NOT public). You may have to mail your return instead of filing electronically.