@curtiscsc - to claim HOH, you must provide for over 50% of the household expenses. I suspect only you can do that in this situation, Even if you say it was "50/50" one of you paid at least a penny more than half the household expenses.
There is a separate set of rules for who claim claim the child. Assuming the child lives with you, you are the custodial parent and hold all rights to the tax credits available. By signing form 8332, you can give the other parent the right to claim the Child Tax Credit (plus the other dependent credit and educational credits), but that is all. You can not pass the right to any EITC tax credits or the right to file HOH to the other parent.
The other parent will file SINGLE, even next year when it is their turn to claim the child.
So what that means is next year, you will BOTH claim the same child, but for different purposes. The other parent will claim the child for the sole purpose of the child tax credit (and you will grant that right by providing form 8332 to the other parent). You will claim the child for all other purposes, including to file HOH.
it is confusing.
