[sparkle1908]

This probably isn't the right place for this question so feel free to move it(admins)...

I am just wondering when you are fostering a child do you put them on your taxes as a dependent? or are they probably being claimed on their bparents taxes?

I am about to start the foster/adopt process in 2009 and was just wondering how to (or if I need to) adjust the taxes on my paycheck..right now I have no dependents and am just trying to make sure I get as much info as I can!!

Thanks for your help!

[gdaisy]

It all depends on the amount you are supporting them for (above and beyond the stipend you get) also time in your home.... I hope this helps

[mommy2fiveplus]

You can claim a foster child if they were in your home for the entire 12 monthes of the year, OR if they were born in that year and you had them since birth (picked up at hospital). With your own kids you can claim them if you supported them for at least 6/12 mos.

For example:

for 2007 we have had

1) 3 year old, placed in may 2007 - WE DO NOT CLAIM

2) 4 year old placed Dec 2006 (in our care all of 2007 to feb 2008) WE DO CLAIM

3) Baby born Oct 31, 2007, placed with us from hospital- WE DO CLAIM

4) sibs placed Jan 2007, returned for 1 mos to Bios, returned to care w/us until march 2008 WE DO NOT CLAIM

My mom had teenage boys in care and the bios claimed them when she was supposed to, the IRS went after the bios and my mom just had to file an amendment that included the letter from the agency with dates of placement.

[hkolln]

You can claim a foster child on your taxes as long as they have lived with you more then 6 months out of that year. You will need their SSN to file them as your dependent.

[sparkle1908]

Thanks for the info ladies..........

[lyly]

Does that apply to all states? My sw told us you can't claim them in your taxes and we are at mass.

[Boulderbabe]

As far as I know, the rule is that you must have had the child in your home 6 of 12 months, and provided more than 50% of their support. The good news is, you can count their share of the mortgage, their share of the car, etc. as support, so you usually have no problems in showing that you provided more for them than the DSS stipend did. Be sure to keep receipts for anything you pay for out of pocket, like clothes, activities, glasses, and so on.

Lyly, whether or not you can claim the child on your state taxes varies from state to state. I don't know how it works in Mass. But here, we don't even claim kids directly on our state taxes. We just use the adjusted gross income from our federal return, which already has the deduction for eligible foster children factored in.

[hkolln]

Originally Posted by lyly

Does that apply to all states? My sw told us you can't claim them in your taxes and we are at mass.

The IRS is a federal agency and it is your federal taxes you claim them on.

[sunsetsky]

yes it applies to mass. i received an email from my worker. try to get the ssn. asap