Dependent of unmarried parents

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Parents never married, live together and have one child together. Can one parent claim the child under Head of Household and for EIC purposes and the other parent filing single claim the same child as a dependent only on their taxes for the child tax credit?

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X

xmasbaby0Answer

Level 15

Expert Reviewed

No.

If you are a non-married couple who live together with your child, then only one of you can claim the child(ren) and the one not claiming the child does not enter anything at all on their tax return about the child. The “sharing” of child-related credits you may have heard about is only possible between divorced or never married parents who live apart and share custody and who have a written agreement to share the credits. The child’s SSN can only be entered on one tax return. Any other return with the child’s SSN on it will be rejected. If you are a family, then work out how to share the refund between yourselves.

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

X

xmasbaby0

Answer

Level 15

Expert Reviewed

No.

If you are a non-married couple who live together with your child, then only one of you can claim the child(ren) and the one not claiming the child does not enter anything at all on their tax return about the child. The “sharing” of child-related credits you may have heard about is only possible between divorced or never married parents who live apart and share custody and who have a written agreement to share the credits. The child’s SSN can only be entered on one tax return. Any other return with the child’s SSN on it will be rejected. If you are a family, then work out how to share the refund between yourselves.

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**