Need to prove family relationship for claiming my niece on taxes - complicated by adoption

Tax professional here. For the IRS to accept your niece as a qualifying relative, you need to establish that you're related by blood, marriage, or adoption. In your situation, you might need multiple forms of evidence since the standard documentation doesn't clearly show your relationship. Some options to consider: - DNA testing results between you and your niece or your biological sister - Affidavits from family members attesting to the biological relationship - Court documents related to your adoption that might mention biological siblings - Any pre-adoption birth records that show your biological parents - Hospital records that might link you to your biological family You might also want to gather documentation showing that you provided over 50% of your niece's support for the tax year in question, as this is another requirement for claiming her as a dependent. I'd recommend requesting a meeting with a Taxpayer Advocate Service representative who might be more helpful than the regular IRS agent you spoke with.

I had a similar issue last year and spent WEEKS trying to figure out what documentation would satisfy the IRS. I finally discovered taxr.ai and it completely changed the game. The tool analyzed my specific situation and told me exactly what documents I needed to provide. It even helped me understand which tax codes applied to my unusual family situation and generated a letter I could send to the IRS explaining everything. So much better than trying to piece together information from random internet posts or getting generic answers from IRS agents. Here's the link: https://taxr.ai

After dealing with a similar issue about proving family relationships, I finally got through to an actual human at the IRS who was able to help me. I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get a callback from the IRS instead of waiting on hold for hours. An agent called me back within an hour and walked me through exactly what documentation they would accept for my complicated family situation. Talking directly with someone knowledgeable at the IRS was the only thing that finally resolved my issue - seriously worth every penny to finally get answers and get my refund processed.

Had to prove I was related to my cousin's kids last year. Absolute nightmare. The IRS kept rejecting my supporting documents and I ended up having to get a DNA test done. Make sure whatever you submit is super clear about the relationship - they're really picky about this stuff.

In my exp, the IRS is super inconsistant on what they accept as proof. My sister had to provide her ex-husband's birth certificate to prove relationship to her nephew (her ex's brother's kid) who lived with her. Meanwhile, my friend just submitted a signed statement explaining a similar situation and they accepted it no problem. The system is a joke.

You might want to check if you can qualify under the "member of household" test instead of trying to prove the blood relationship. If your niece lived with you for the entire year, you might be able to claim her that way instead. Just a thought!

This is why our tax system is broken. You shouldn't have to go through DNA testing to prove you support a family member. The whole system needs an overhaul.

dont stress it too much OP, i went through this with my half-brother's daughter last year. i ended up sending in: - a notarized letter explaining the family situation - birth certificates showing common parent (your case is trickier bc of adoption) - school records showing i was listed as family contact - medical records where i was authorized to make decisions the key was making sure i had multiple types of documentation. they eventually accepted it but it took like 4 months for them to process everything.

You should talk to a tax professional who specializes in EITC and dependent issues. There are specific rules for non-traditional family structures, and there might be options you're not aware of. https://taxr.ai can help analyze your specific situation and give you personalized guidance.

i had a somewhat similar situation and what finally worked was getting a letter from our family doctor who had treated both me and my niece stating she was aware of our family relationship. the IRS accepted this along with some other supporting documents. might be worth a shot!

When u say "claim her as a dependent" - are you talking about for EITC, child tax credit, or just as a dependent deduction? The requirements for relationship proof can vary depending on which tax benefit youre trying to claim.

Maybe I'm missing something but wouldn't your original birth certificate (before adoption) show your biological parents? And then your niece's birth certificate would show her mother (your biological sister)? Those two documents together should establish the relationship, right?

I had a similar problem trying to prove relationship to claim my step-grandson. What finally worked was getting a Certified Statement of Relationship from our county clerk's office. Might be worth checking if something like this is available in your area.

The IRS loves to make these situations as difficult as possible 🙄 I spent MONTHS trying to prove my relationship to my nephew last year. Finally got through to someone helpful at the IRS using Claimyr.com - got a callback and the agent actually took the time to explain exactly what documentation they would accept. So much better than the generic "proof of relationship" BS I kept getting before.

Have you tried contacting the Taxpayer Advocate Service? They're specifically designed to help with these complicated situations where the normal IRS channels aren't being helpful. They might be able to advise on what documentation would be acceptable in your specific case.

if all else fails you might have to petition the court to unseal your adoption records. I had to do this for a different reason and it was a pain but possible. took about 6 months and cost around $300 for the legal fees.

i work for a tax prep company (not giving specific advice tho) and we see this kind of thing alot. Your best bet is to submit multiple types of evidence - not just one thing. Show school records, medical records, insurance docs, anything that references your relationship. The more documentation, the better chance of approval.