"In my divorce decree it states that I am allowed to claim my oldest child." Claiming the child means being able to claim the child as a dependent which is limited to the tax exemption. Other credits such as the EIC and child care credit are separate and require that the child physically lived with you more than 1/2 the year. That is Federal tax law and a divorce decree cannot override tax law. The most that a divorce decree can give you is the exemption, the other credits depend on meeting the tax law requirements.
**Disclaimer: This post is for discussion purposes only and is NOT tax advice. The author takes no responsibility for the accuracy of any information in this post.**
