Child tax credit went to ex
If you claim your child every other year on taxes. How do you get the tax credit? Just for information the father pays 65.00 a week. And has never seen his child.
Terry Says
I just posted a column about this. Very sadly, many ex-wives who are low income earners and could use the child tax credit, can’t claim it because the divorce decree allowed the higher earner spouse to claim the child as a dependent for tax purposes. Or they alternate.
The credit being paid out now is an “advance credit” on the 2021 tax return. If you claim your child on your 2021 return, then these payments belong to you. Remind your ex of this situation (assuming you even talk) and let him know it is Federal tax fraud for him to receive and deposit this money. However if 2021 is HIS turn to take the child, then these monthly checks are his!
There is a child tax credit every year — but this year’s was made larger and had advance payments. So if you just filed a tax return for 2020 and that was YOUR year to claim your child, you could claim the 2020 credit which was $2,000 – AND probably get another $3,000 in Earned Income Tax credits becuase you have a child. If you didn’t file, or didn’t claim those credits, it is not to late to send in a return. Go to www.IRS.gov/freefile for help.
