In this episode of Dr. Friday Tax Tips – One Minute Moment, Dr. Friday delves into a common misconception about child dependency claims during divorce proceedings. Can a state court decide who claims a child as a dependent on their taxes? Dr. Friday clarifies the distinction between state court decisions and federal law requirements. If you’re navigating the complexities of divorce and taxes, this episode is a must-listen.
Transcript
G’day, I’m Dr. Friday, president of Dr. Friday’s tax and financial firm. To get more info, go to www.drfriday.com. This is a one minute moment.
Can a state court determine who may claim a child as a dependent? And the answer is, you guys probably all know the answer. No, federal law will determine who can claim the child. This is what always happens. People go into divorce court and they basically say this person’s going to get them this year, this person’s going to get them this year, it goes back and forth, etc., etc. And the IRS says, wait, that doesn’t make any difference to us. Who has the child living in their home more than six months in one day? Who is paying and where is that child physically living? That is the person that’s going to claim, according to federal law, on a federal tax return. You may actually have two different filings, federal and state. You need help? Check us out on the web at drfriday.com.
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