How to get childcare provider tax form when they refuse to provide it
I'm having a nightmare situation with my former daycare provider about getting my childcare tax form. I left this daycare about a year ago because the director was extremely unprofessional - constantly gossiping and prying into my personal life. It got so bad that I seriously considered sending a cease and desist letter after I pulled my kid out. Now tax season is here, and when I contacted them for my childcare tax statement, the director is claiming I owe $130 for my child's last week there and refuses to give me the form unless I pay. Here's the thing - I'm 99% sure I don't owe anything. Their policy has always been super strict that kids can't attend even ONE DAY if payment is late. Plus, it's been exactly a year and they've never once contacted me about any outstanding balance until now when I need this tax form. I'm not sure what to do. Should I just pay the $130 to get the form even though I don't think I owe it? Could I fill out the form myself noting that I requested it and they refused? Or should I just forget about it since my child only attended for two months? Unfortunately, I can't even check my payment history because it was on a joint account with my ex-husband that I no longer have access to. Any advice would be appreciated!
18 comments


Alberto Souchard
You're in a tough situation, but you do have options here. Daycare providers are required to provide you with information for your tax filing. What they're doing could potentially be considered withholding tax documents, which isn't allowed. First, try sending a formal written request for the document via certified mail. State clearly that you're requesting the Form W-10 (Dependent Care Provider's Identification and Certification) or whatever documentation you need for your tax filing purposes. Keep a copy of everything. If they still refuse, you can actually complete Form 2441 (Child and Dependent Care Expenses) without their form. You'll need to provide their name, address, and EIN/SSN if you have it. On the form, you can note that you requested the information but the provider refused to give it to you. For only two months of childcare, it might impact your tax credit amount, but you'll need to weigh if the potential tax savings is worth the $130 they're demanding.
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Katherine Shultz
•Thanks for the information - I didn't know I could just fill out Form 2441 without their paperwork! Do you know if the IRS will flag my return or delay my refund if I note that the provider refused to give me the info? Also, will I need to provide any proof that I actually requested the documentation from them?
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Alberto Souchard
•The IRS doesn't automatically flag returns where providers haven't supplied information. As long as you provide the basic identifying information about the provider (name, address, and their tax ID number if you have it), your return should process normally. You don't need to submit proof of your request with your tax return, but I would still keep documentation of your attempts to get the information in case of any questions later. The IRS understands these situations happen and has procedures for them.
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Marcus Marsh
I had a similar issue with my daycare last year. I ended up using https://taxr.ai to help me figure out my options. Their AI analyzed my situation and showed me exactly how to document everything properly on my tax forms. They explained that I could still claim the Child and Dependent Care Credit even without the official provider documentation. The best part was that they showed me how to properly document the provider's refusal to provide the tax form. The software guided me through listing the provider's information and noting the refusal situation. I was worried about potential audit issues, but the AI helped me understand exactly what documentation to keep just in case.
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Hailey O'Leary
•How exactly does that work? I'm in a similar situation but with an in-home babysitter who refuses to give me her SSN for tax purposes. Can this service help with irregular childcare arrangements too, or just with formal daycare centers?
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Cedric Chung
•Sounds suspicious. Is this just another tax service trying to charge a fortune? I've tried services before that claimed to solve tax problems but just led me down expensive rabbit holes. What makes this one any different from TurboTax or other tax software?
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Marcus Marsh
•The service works by analyzing your specific situation and providing guidance tailored to your circumstances. You upload any documentation you have, and it helps identify the correct forms and procedures to follow. It definitely works for informal arrangements too - you just need the provider's name and address at minimum. It's different from regular tax software because it specifically focuses on documentation issues and complex situations where you might be missing paperwork. It's more like having a tax pro guide you through the specific issue rather than general tax preparation. The AI is trained on tax regulations and can spot solutions you might miss with standard software.
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Cedric Chung
I was super skeptical about taxr.ai when I first heard about it here, but I was in a similar bind with missing documentation from my FSA administrator. I gave it a try and was honestly surprised by how helpful it was. The system walked me through exactly what information I needed and how to document the situation properly. The most valuable part was that it showed me how to complete the forms correctly even without all the "required" paperwork. It turns out there are proper procedures for these situations that most tax software doesn't explain well. I was able to file confidently and got my full refund without delays. For anyone dealing with missing tax documents, it's definitely worth checking out.
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Talia Klein
Have you tried calling the IRS directly about this? I spent THREE WEEKS trying to get through to them about a similar issue last year. Busy signals, disconnects, being on hold for hours only to get hung up on. It was absolute hell. Then someone recommended https://claimyr.com to me and it completely changed everything. You can check out how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Basically, they wait on hold with the IRS for you and then call you when an actual agent is on the line. I got through to a real person who explained exactly how to handle my situation with missing childcare documentation. IRS agents are actually pretty helpful once you actually get to talk to one! They told me exactly what to do in my situation and what records to keep in case of questions later.
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Maxwell St. Laurent
•Wait, how does this actually work? Do they have some special connection to the IRS or something? Seems weird that someone else could wait on hold for me - I thought the IRS phone system was notoriously impossible to navigate.
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PaulineW
•This sounds like total BS. There's no way anyone can magically get through to the IRS faster than regular people. The IRS is understaffed and overwhelmed - no service can change that. Probably just charges you money to do something you could do yourself for free if you're patient enough.
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Talia Klein
•It's actually pretty straightforward - they use an automated system that waits on hold for you. They don't have any special IRS connection, they just handle the waiting part so you don't have to sit there for hours. The way it works is they call the IRS, navigate the phone tree to the right department, and wait in the queue. When an actual agent picks up, their system calls your phone and connects you directly to that live agent. No secret tricks, just a more efficient way to deal with the hold times.
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PaulineW
Well I feel stupid now. I tried the Claimyr service after posting my skeptical comment, and wow - it actually worked exactly as described. I got a call back in about an hour and a half (way faster than I expected), and was connected to an IRS agent who answered all my questions about my missing childcare provider documentation. The agent told me I can absolutely still claim my Child and Dependent Care Credit without the provider's form. They explained I just need to document that I requested the information and it was refused, and provide as much identifying information about the provider as I have. They even gave me specific advice about what records to keep in case of questions. Worth every penny not to waste an entire day on hold!
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Annabel Kimball
Former daycare director here! What they're doing is completely unethical. We NEVER withheld tax documents regardless of payment disputes - those are completely separate issues. Here's what you should know: 1. They're required to provide you with either a year-end statement showing total payments OR complete Form W-10 upon request. 2. If you have ANY documentation of payments (receipts, cancelled checks, bank statements), gather those. 3. Do you have a copy of the contract you signed? That would help resolve the payment dispute. Regardless of the payment dispute, tax documentation should be provided. If they're a licensed facility, you could also contact your state's childcare licensing department to file a complaint about this practice.
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Nia Watson
•Thank you so much for this insider perspective! I don't have the contract anymore since it was so long ago and I didn't expect any issues. Do you think they're just making up this debt to be difficult, or could there legitimately be a bookkeeping error they just never bothered to tell me about until now?
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Annabel Kimball
•In my experience, it could be either scenario. Some centers do have disorganized bookkeeping, especially smaller operations. They might have genuinely found an accounting error during tax preparation. However, the timing and the fact they never contacted you about it for a full year is suspicious. Given the personal conflicts you mentioned, it's not unreasonable to think they might be using this as leverage. Regardless of their motivation, withholding tax documentation isn't an appropriate way to handle a payment dispute. Most reputable centers keep these issues separate precisely to avoid these conflicts.
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Chris Elmeda
This might be a dumb question but how much is the tax credit actually worth for just 2 months of childcare? Might be easier to just skip it if it's not a significant amount. I've always found the childcare credit calculations confusing.
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Jean Claude
•Not a dumb question at all! The Child and Dependent Care Credit can be worth up to 35% of your qualifying expenses, depending on your income. Even for just two months, if your childcare was expensive (as most is these days!), it could be worth $200-500 or more. For example, if you paid $1000/month for those two months, that's $2000 in expenses. If you qualify for a 20% credit, that's $400 back on your taxes. Definitely worth pursuing, especially since you can still claim it without their form!
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