Someone filed taxes claiming my child again - how to prevent it this tax season?

For the last two years, I've had to deal with the same frustrating problem - someone else has claimed my daughter as a dependent on their taxes before I could file mine. Both times my return got rejected because of this. I'm a single mom with full custody, and my ex is definitely not the one doing this (we confirmed). I'm really worried about this happening again for the 2024 tax year. The last two times, it took months to sort out, and I had to file paper returns and wait forever for my refund. I need that money to pay for daycare and other expenses. I've looked at the IRS website for help but honestly it's so confusing and full of technical jargon. I'm not even sure what steps I need to take to prevent this from happening again. Does anyone know what I can do BEFORE tax season to lock down my child's SSN or something? Or do I just need to file super early? Any advice would be really helpful because I can't afford another delayed refund this year.

0 coins

19 comments

Lia Quinn

•8M

Filing early is definitely your best strategy here. The IRS processes returns on a first-come, first-served basis, so whoever claims a dependent first "wins" - at least initially. But you should also take these additional steps: 1) Make sure you have documentation proving you're entitled to claim your child (school records, medical records, custody agreement, etc.) 2) If you e-file and get rejected again, you'll need to file a paper return with Form 8862 (Information To Claim Certain Credits) attached 3) Consider getting an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) for both yourself AND your child - this is a 6-digit number that helps prevent someone from filing with your SSN or your child's The IP PIN is probably your best protection. You can get one through the IRS "Get an IP PIN" tool online. Once you and your child have IP PINs, no one can file using those SSNs without the PIN.

0 coins

Lia Quinn

•8M

The only real downside to an IP PIN is that you must use it when filing every year going forward, and you'll get a new one each year that you'll need to keep track of. The IRS will mail you a new IP PIN each December/January. If you lose it, you'll need to go through some verification steps to retrieve it, which can be a bit of a hassle. As for filing early, the IRS typically starts accepting returns in late January. The exact date changes yearly, but aim to file as soon as you receive all your tax documents like W-2s and 1099s. Most employers must send W-2s by January 31st, so you could potentially file in early February.

0 coins

Asher Levin

•8M

I went through something similar with my son last year and found an amazing service that helped me analyze my tax documents and situation. I'm not tech-savvy at all but https://taxr.ai made it super simple to understand what was happening with my return and exactly what documents I needed to prove my case to the IRS. I uploaded my tax documents and previous returns, and it spotted patterns that showed someone was consistently claiming my child. The system outlined exactly what documentation I needed to prove my case and even helped me understand the relevant tax codes to cite when dealing with the IRS. Saved me so much stress and confusion!

0 coins

Asher Levin

•8M

I got my results back within a few hours of uploading my documents, which was much faster than I expected. The site explains they use bank-level encryption for all uploads and don't store your documents after analysis, which made me feel better about the privacy concerns. It didn't directly prevent the fraudulent claim, but it gave me a complete action plan that included getting IP PINs for both me and my son, which has prevented any issues since then. It also helped me prepare a perfect paper return with all the right documentation attached, which got processed much faster than my previous attempts.

0 coins

Issac Nightingale

•8M

Just wanted to follow up and say I tried taxr.ai after seeing this thread and wow - worth every minute! I was honestly skeptical at first, but it identified that my ex's new wife was likely the person claiming my daughter (based on timing patterns and some other details I hadn't connected). The service outlined exactly what forms I needed to submit and how to get IP PINs for both me and my daughter. I've already secured those for this tax season, and I feel 100x more prepared. It even flagged that I'd been missing out on education credits I could have been claiming. Really glad I gave it a shot!

0 coins

Romeo Barrett

•8M

If you've been dealing with rejected returns, you probably know the nightmare of trying to call the IRS to sort it out. I spent WEEKS trying to get through to an actual person last year when this happened to me. Then someone told me about https://claimyr.com and shared this video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c It's wild - they hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an agent is about to answer. I got through to a real IRS person in like 45 minutes when I had been trying unsuccessfully for days before. The agent was able to flag my kids' SSNs in their system and gave me specific instructions on how to file my return with proof of custody.

0 coins

Romeo Barrett

•8M

They have some kind of system that holds your place in the queue and then connects you when a representative picks up. It's not magic - you still have to wait for an available IRS agent, but you don't have to personally sit there listening to hold music for hours. You just go about your day until they call you. The key was getting to the right department. When the IRS agent answered, I specifically mentioned "identity theft" and "fraudulent dependent claim" which got me transferred to someone who could actually help. They didn't resolve everything immediately on the call, but they flagged my account and told me exactly what documentation to mail in. Made a huge difference compared to trying to figure it out from their website.

0 coins

Justin Trejo

•8M

I'm eating crow and need to apologize. After my skeptical comment, I tried Claimyr anyway because I was desperate. Got through to the IRS in under an hour when I'd been trying for WEEKS on my own. The agent I spoke with confirmed someone had been claiming my son, and it turns out it was my ex's MOTHER of all people! The IRS agent flagged my account, helped me get IP PINs for both me and my son, and walked me through exactly what documentation to submit with my return. They even put notes in my file about the situation. Honestly changed my whole outlook. I'm already set for this tax season with all the right PINs and documents ready to go. Sometimes it's worth trying things even when you're skeptical!

0 coins

Alana Willis

•8M

I work at a tax prep office (not a professional, just admin) and see this ALL THE TIME. Here's what our preparers tell clients: 1) File first! This is the #1 advice 2) If you have a custody agreement, review it carefully - sometimes there are alternating years for tax claims that people forget about 3) If you get rejected, don't panic. Paper file with all your proof of residency 4) The person who claimed your child illegally will eventually get audited and have to pay back all credits plus penalties 5) If this happens repeatedly, it could be identity theft so get those IP PINs ASAP The biggest mistake people make is waiting too long to deal with it. Don't put off paper filing if you get rejected!

0 coins

Alana Willis

•8M

Child support payments do NOT give someone the right to claim a child as a dependent. The IRS has very specific tests for who can claim a child, and the main one is where the child lived for more than half the year (the residency test). If your daughter lives with you 100% of the time, you are the qualifying parent. Your ex might be thinking of the "dependent exemption release" (Form 8332) where the custodial parent can voluntarily release their claim to the non-custodial parent. But this is completely voluntary - you don't have to do this unless it's specified in your custody agreement. No custody agreement means you, as the parent with 100% physical custody, have the right to claim your child.

0 coins

Tyler Murphy

•8M

Just an FYI - I learned this the hard way - if someone fraudulently claims your child, your refund will be delayed EVEN if you paper file correctly. My ex claimed our kids when it wasn't his year, and it took 11 MONTHS to get my refund last time. That's why preventative measures like the IP PIN are so important. Also consider updating your custody agreement to specifically address who claims the kids on taxes in which years. My lawyer said this can help with IRS disputes.

0 coins