Someone claimed our son as dependent on their taxes, no clue who it could be

This is unfortunately pretty common, but there's a clear process to resolve it. Since you're the custodial parent with the legal right to claim your son this year, you'll need to: 1) Paper file your return with your son listed as a dependent. You cannot e-file once someone else has claimed the same dependent. 2) Include Form 8862 (Information to Claim Certain Credits After Disallowance) if you're claiming credits like the Child Tax Credit. 3) Include any documentation that proves your right to claim him - your custody agreement showing alternating years, school records showing your address, medical records showing you as the responsible party, etc. The IRS will then investigate the conflicting claims. They'll contact both parties and request proof of eligibility to claim the dependent. Whoever cannot provide adequate documentation will likely face penalties for incorrectly claiming the dependent. Don't try to figure out who claimed him - that's the IRS's job and they won't tell you anyway due to privacy laws.

I had almost this exact situation last year, and I was beyond frustrated until I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai). I was completely stuck when someone mysteriously claimed my daughter, and I had no idea where to turn. Their document analysis tool helped me figure out exactly what forms I needed and how to properly document my case for the IRS. It walks you through everything step by step and helped me understand what specific documentation would strengthen my case. The tool even analyzed my custody agreement and highlighted the exact language that proved I had the right to claim my child that year. They have experts who review situations like yours all the time and can help you build the strongest case possible to resolve this quickly.

Just wanted to follow up - I actually tried taxr.ai after posting my question here, and it was seriously helpful. I uploaded my custody documents and household bills that proved my nephew lived with me, and the system immediately identified which forms I needed and what specific evidence would strengthen my case. It even found a clause in my temporary guardianship paperwork that I hadn't realized was relevant to my tax situation. The step-by-step guidance made paper filing so much less intimidating. I've already submitted everything to the IRS with a much stronger case than I would have put together on my own. Really glad I gave it a try!

Dealing with the IRS on dependent disputes is beyond frustrating because they move so slowly. After someone wrongfully claimed my son two years ago, I spent MONTHS trying to get through to an actual person at the IRS. I'd sit on hold for hours only to get disconnected. I finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and it completely changed my experience. They got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes instead of the hours I was wasting before. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent I spoke with was able to see who had claimed my child (they won't tell you who, but they confirmed it wasn't my ex), and gave me specific instructions for my situation. Having that direct conversation saved me weeks of back-and-forth with generic letters.

I need to eat my words and admit when I'm wrong. After posting my skeptical comment, I was still so frustrated with my situation that I decided to try Claimyr anyway - figuring I could always dispute the charge if it didn't work. I'm honestly shocked - I got connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. After waiting on hold myself for 3+ hours multiple times (only to get disconnected), this was life-changing. The agent confirmed they could see the conflicting claim on my return and gave me specific instructions for my situation that were different from the generic advice I found online. They walked me through exactly which forms I needed and what documentation would be most helpful for my specific case. Having that direct conversation with the IRS saved me so much time and stress. Sometimes it's worth admitting when you're wrong!

Something similar happened to me but it turned out to be identity theft! Someone had stolen my kid's social security number and was using it for tax fraud. Make sure you check your son's credit report just to be safe. Kids shouldn't have any credit history, so if there's anything on there, that's a major red flag. Also, contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490. They can put special markers on your son's social security number to prevent future issues.

Could it be a simple error with the social security number? Sometimes people transpose digits when entering SSNs on their tax returns. Maybe someone accidentally entered your son's SSN instead of their dependent's by mistake.