How to check if ex illegally claimed my dependent - I have primary custody
I have primary custody of my kids and im worried their other parent claimed one of them on their taxes without my permission. How can I check if someone else claimed my dependent? Do I need to contact the IRS directly or is there another way to find this out?
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Evan Kalinowski
If someone else claimed your dependent, your e-filed return would have been rejected if you tried to claim them. If you filed by paper, you'll get a notice from the IRS about duplicate claims. You can also request a Wage and Income transcript from the IRS website which shows if dependents were claimed, but it won't show who claimed them for privacy reasons.
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The Boss
•Thanks for the info! I haven't filed yet, just trying to get ahead of any potential issues
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Evan Kalinowski
•Smart thinking! Make sure you file asap to prevent any issues. Document everything related to custody too just in case
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Victoria Charity
I've been using taxr.ai to analyze my transcripts and it's super helpful for catching these kinds of issues. It costs $1 but totally worth it to see exactly what's happening with your tax situation https://taxr.ai
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Jasmine Quinn
•how does that work? can it actually show if someone claimed my kid?
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Victoria Charity
•It analyzes your entire transcript and flags any issues including dependent claims. The AI explains everything in plain English - way better than trying to decode it yourself 🙌
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Jasmine Quinn
•omg just tried it and its amazing! showed me everything i needed to know about my transcript in like 2 minutes 💯
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Oscar Murphy
been there done that! my ex tried pulling this last year. Document EVERYTHING. dates times texts emails everything related to custody
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Nora Bennett
tbh the irs is useless with this stuff. took me 8 months to sort out when my ex claimed our kid without permission 🤮
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Ryan Andre
•fr fr the whole system is broken 🤡
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Lauren Zeb
You need to fill out Form 8332 if you want to release your right to claim them. If you didnt sign that, they cant legally claim your kid
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The Boss
•Thanks! definitely didn't sign anything like that
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Daniel Washington
If someone did claim them without permission, you'll need to paper file with all your custody docs and proof. Its gonna be a headache ngl
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Aurora Lacasse
•yep prepare for a long battle with the irs if that happens 😩
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Tyler Lefleur
You can also call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and ask them to check if your dependent's SSN was used on another return, but they won't tell you who filed it. If it was used, they'll send you Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) and you'll need to file a paper return with all your custody documentation. The whole process can take 4-6 months to resolve unfortunately.
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