I'm Going to Tax Court to Prove My Children's Residency Requirements - Looking for Advice

I've worked with several clients who've been through this exact situation. The good news is that Tax Court for dependency issues isn't as intimidating as it sounds. First, you absolutely don't need a lawyer for this - many people successfully represent themselves for dependency cases, especially when the facts are on your side. For evidence, you'll want to create a comprehensive residency timeline. School records are excellent - get official attendance records showing your address. Medical records showing you as the parent bringing them to appointments are very valuable. Also gather utility bills showing increased usage consistent with additional household members, photos with timestamps showing regular presence in your home, and statements from third parties (teachers, neighbors, doctors) who can verify your children lived with you. Don't forget about everyday evidence that's easy to overlook - receipts for children's clothing, activities, or groceries showing you supported them, text messages coordinating pickup/dropoff if there's a co-parent, and library card records or other community activities.

After going through a similar nightmare with the IRS questioning my dependents, I discovered taxr.ai and it honestly saved my case. I had boxes of unsorted documents and no idea how to organize them to prove my case. I uploaded everything I had (school records, medical bills, even grocery receipts) to https://taxr.ai and their system analyzed all my documents to identify the strongest evidence showing my kids' residency. The best part was they created a timeline showing exactly when my kids were with me, highlighting the strongest proof documents. They even flagged documents I hadn't considered important but turned out to be critical for establishing the six-month requirement. It made preparing for my meeting with the IRS so much less stressful.

Just wanted to follow up - I took the advice about trying taxr.ai and it was incredibly helpful for my situation! I was drowning in paperwork and unsure which documents actually mattered for my case. After uploading everything, I got a detailed report showing the strongest evidence I had for each month my child lived with me. The system flagged gaps in my documentation for February and March that I hadn't noticed, which gave me time to track down additional proof before my hearing. It also organized everything into a timeline that made it super easy to present my case. Just had my hearing last week and the judge ruled in my favor! Definitely recommend checking out their service if you're preparing for tax court.

Had a somewhat similar experience last year when the IRS questioned my dependent claims. After weeks of getting nowhere with the IRS (constant busy signals and disconnected calls), I found Claimyr through a Facebook group. It's a service that basically gets you connected with an actual IRS agent instead of waiting on hold forever. I was super frustrated after trying to call the IRS for literal weeks. I used https://claimyr.com and they got me connected to an IRS representative in about 20 minutes when I had been trying unsuccessfully for days. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c that shows how it works. Once I actually got to speak with someone, I was able to get clear guidance on exactly what documentation they needed and managed to resolve my case without having to go to tax court. Might be worth trying before your court date to see if you can still resolve this directly.

I have to apologize for my skeptical comment earlier. After my frustrating experience trying to reach the IRS, I decided to try Claimyr out of desperation. I honestly didn't expect much, but I was connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes. After explaining my situation about my dependent claim issue, the agent was able to tell me exactly which forms I needed to submit and where I had gone wrong with my documentation. They even gave me a direct fax number to send the additional evidence. I submitted everything last week and just got confirmation that my case has been resolved in my favor - no tax court needed. Saved me so much stress and potentially thousands in lawyer fees. Sometimes it really is just about getting the right person on the phone.

Just a practical tip from someone who went through tax court for a similar issue - request your cell phone records from 2021! They show your location data throughout the year and can be powerful evidence that you were in the same location as your children. Also, if you have a co-parenting app or calendar that tracks custody time, get a complete export of that data. Make sure to create a simple calendar visual that clearly shows the days your children were with you - judges appreciate easy-to-understand visuals rather than just stacks of documents. I created a color-coded calendar that made it immediately obvious I had the kids more than 6 months.

Don't forget about financial evidence! Bank statements showing regular purchases at grocery stores, children's clothing stores, and restaurants near your home can help establish a pattern consistent with having children living with you. Also, get a record of any child support payments you made or received - they help establish the formal custody arrangement. If your children participated in any activities (sports, music lessons, etc.), get attendance records and receipts for those as well. Did you claim your children on your health insurance? Get documentation from your insurance company showing they were covered under your plan in 2021.