[ajt26]

How do I find out who claimed my child on their taxes

[MukatA]

How do you know that some one claimed your child?
If you can claim the child, then do it. If two persons claim the same child, both will get letters from the IRS. Then one of you will have to amend the tax return.

For requirements of claiming a child read Your U.S. Tax Return: Requirements for claiming a dependent

[Gem_22205]

Four tests will qualify a child to be a dependent:

1. Relationship — the person must be your child, step child, adopted child, foster child, brother or sister, or a descendant of one of these (for example, a grandchild or nephew).

2. Residence — for more than half the year, the person must have the same residence as you do.

3. Age — the person must be

Under age 19 at the end of the year, or
Under age 24 and a be a full-time student for at least five months out of the year, or
Any age and totally and permanently disabled.

4. Support — the person did not provide more than half of his or her own support during the year.


Some Tips about Claiming Qualifying Children
The qualifying child must live with you for more than half the year. More than half a year means, at minimum, six months and one day.

If you share custody, you may want to keep a log of where the child spends the night in your calendar or day planner.
The new rules state that the qualifying child must not provide more than half of his or her own support. This is different from the old rules. Under the old rules, the taxpayer had to provide over half the support for the child. The change makes it easier for families relying on public assistance, charity, and gifts from family members to claim a dependent.

The non-qualifying parent can claim the dependent ONLY IF the qualifying parent releases his or her claim to the dependency exemption. You accomplish this by using IRS Form 8332, http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8332.pdf). You can indicate on this form for which year or years you agree to release the exemption. You can also revoke the release if you later change your mind.

I am not sure of your personal situation, but I hope this helps.

[AtlantaTaxExpert]

If you suspect someone has claimed your child on their tax return, call the IRS and ASK.

If you have your child on past tax returns, it is relatively simple to establish your parenthood, in which case the IRS can then query their data base using the child's SSN to see if someone else has claimed him/her.

[vivarantthang]

You can't find out who did it it is agaist the law to release that info. The IRS will send you both letters and you both must prove the children lived with you. If they can't, they must repay whatever refund they got. I wet through this with my kids deadbeat dad. He wouldn't even pay child support and had the nerve to claim them on his tax return. I kew who it was the minute they kicked back my tax return. It is too bad that we can't have them arrested for it. To me it is grand larceny!

[AtlantaTaxExpert]

Vivarantthang:

I sympathize with your feeling, but if the IRS prosecuted all cases of "who gets to claim the kid", a significant percentage of the U.S. population would be in federal prision!