Child Care Cost

[livinmybestlife]

My daughters father and I have shared parenting in Ohio. I have her about 70% of the time and he has her about 30%. He is responsible for 60% of daycare costs and I am responsible for 40%. I know he can't claim child care costs, despite her being his dependent this year, since she is with me more than him, but when I go to enter in the info about child care costs to get the deduction, do I enter the entire amount we both paid, or just the 40% that actually came out of my pocket. I feel like it should be the 40%, which is what I have always done, but someone told me that since it is like child support and part of the court order that I should be able to declare the entire amount despite him paying to the facility directly. I haven't found any specific guidelines about this, so any insight would be very helpful. Thank you for your time.

 

[Just Blue]

@Taxing Matters is our "resident" site vetted tax attorney...I tagged him for you.

 

[livinmybestlife]

@Taxing Matters is our "resident" site vetted tax attorney...I tagged him for you.

Thank you!

 

[Taxing Matters]

...but when I go to enter in the info about child care costs to get the deduction, do I enter the entire amount we both paid, or just the 40% that actually came out of my pocket. I feel like it should be the 40%, which is what I have always done, but someone told me that since it is like child support and part of the court order that I should be able to declare the entire amount despite him paying to the facility directly.

The person who told you you could deduct what your child's father paid is wrong. You only get to claim the amounts that YOU actually paid.

 

[LdiJ]

The person who told you you could deduct what your child's father paid is wrong. You only get to claim the amounts that YOU actually paid.

However, if it was part of the actual child support order, mixed in with the child support you got paid, then you would be paying the entire thing yourself. The fact that he pays it directly to the daycare himself is why you cannot claim it.

 

[livinmybestlife]

That's what I thought too. And thankfully what I have been doing. I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. Have a great night.