Deductions & credits

To make this work, your girlfriend will:

• indicate the children lived with her more than half the year (she picks 7 months or longer)
• there is a custody agreement in place
• she will give the other parent (you) a form 8332 dependent release.

Turbotax will allow her to use the HOH status and EIC, but not claim the $2000 child tax credit.

Then she must give you a signed form 8332 showing which children you can claim and for which years. 

You will

• indicate the children lived with you less than half the year (pick 5 months or less)
• there is a custody agreement
• the other parent will give you a signed form 8332

Turbotax will allow you to claim the $2000 child tac credit but not the other items.

You will also need to mail the original signed form 8332 to the IRS after you e-file the rest of the return (keep a copy for your records of course). Turbotax will ask you to print out a cover page to mail with the 8332.

You won't have rejection problems with e-filing as long as you each file correctly.