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Who Claims the Children on Taxes After a Divorce? Divorced parents have a lot on their minds. They’ve got to care for their children, keep track of custody schedules, try to maintain a working relationship with their co-parent, and complete countless other tasks every day. In fact, people have so many concerns during a divorce that it’s easier to overlook some finer details — like who claims the kids on their taxes. Tax season is officially here, and all of the headaches it brings are beginning anew. There are many benefits to claiming a child as a dependent on your tax return. Using the Child Tax Credit, Additional Child Tax Credit, and Earned Income Credit, you can reduce your tax burden or increase your refund. The process is all relatively simple when you’re married and filing jointly. But what about after a divorce? Unfortunately, both parents can’t claim the same child. Though it might sound fair for parents who are both providing financial support, the IRS considers it double-dipping. When there is a custodial parent — one who cares for and lives with the child all or most of the time — they generally get to claim the child as a dependent. Joint custody agreements, however, can get a bit tricky. Many custody agreements specify which parent can claim the child on their taxes. It’s the ideal scenario — no questions and no disputes. Some parents alter the tax credits so one parent receives them on odd years, and the other receives them on even years. Sometimes, one parent will exchange their right to claim the child on future tax returns for other concessions in the divorce proceedings. And in cases of multiple children, parents will sometimes split them down the middle. For example, if they have two children, each parent gets to claim one on their taxes. When there is no agreement and both parents want to claim a child, disputes and even IRS audits can arise. If your original divorce lawyer overlooked the tax implications of divorce, or if you’re having trouble getting your co-parent to abide by the court order, Bruce Law can help. We’ll be glad to review your case and let you know all of your options. Call us today!
4 Secrets to Finding Time to Read as a Busy Parent When you think of reading, you might conjure up an image of yourself curled up next to a cozy fireplace, sipping on coffee, and reading the day away. However, with the hustle and bustle of daily life and raising kids, it’s tough to find the time to truly dive into a good book. We know it’s important to read to our children, but we forget how valuable it is for them to see us reading, too.
So, how can you fit it into your schedule?
DON’T LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT A BOOK.
Whether you are waiting in the pickup line at school, at the dentist’s office, for your order at the coffee shop, or at your kid’s soccer practice, this downtime could be spent reading a chapter of your book.
SCHEDULE READING TIME.
This one sounds quite silly, but as parents know, if you don’t make time for something, it won’t get done. Plan out 30 minutes of reading time each day to allow yourself to get comfortable and read without distractions. The trick here is to make sure you don’t cancel on yourself!
MAKE IT A FAMILY AFFAIR.
Sometimes parents feel guilty when they take time for themselves that could be spent with their children. If this sounds like you, make time to read together — the kids read their books, and you read yours! Some days, this may last 10 minutes, but other times, they may stay captivated longer. Either way, you are creating healthy habits for your kids while getting in a chapter for yourself, too!
SWAP OUT THE MOVIES FOR BOOKS.
Once the kids are tucked in after a long day, it sounds so nice to park yourself in front of the television with a cozy blanket and mindlessly watch a good movie or an episode of your favorite show. However, instead of watching TV for an hour, dedicate some or all of that time to reading. This way, you’re still making progress in your book.
Is your friend or client married to a controlling, manipulative, narcissistic husband?
OUR BOOKS CAN HELP!
No matter how you make the time to read, you will be glad you did. Good luck and happy reading!
The book can be downloaded for FREE at DivorceInformationBooks.com.
2 • BrucePA.com
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