I haven’t worked in two years and I’m a stay-at-home mom. I do some reselling and Amazon Flex on the side, but my kids’ dad pays all the bills. Is there any way I can file taxes and claim my two kids? He owes taxes, so I don’t let him claim them. I didn’t file last year either, and no one claimed my kids.
If he’s supporting you and the kids, it might make sense for him to file as Head of Household and claim the kids. That could help pay down his tax debt faster.
It’s probably still better for him to claim the kids since he might get more credits overall. Do you know how much he makes a year? How much did you make from Amazon Flex and reselling?
Are you and the kids’ dad married? Do you live together?
If you made more than $400 from Amazon Flex, you’re required to file taxes because it’s self-employment income. You might want to check out VITA—it’s a free service where volunteers help you with your taxes and even past years.
If you’re not married and your income is very low, he might be better off claiming all of you.
>My kids’ dad owes taxes, so I don’t let him claim them
If no one claims them, you’re just leaving money on the table. Even if he owes taxes, claiming the kids could help reduce his debt faster.
@irmah
Here’s the link for VITA: Free tax return preparation for qualifying taxpayers | Internal Revenue Service
You and the kids’ dad should go together to ask about dependent credits. They can even help him amend the last three years’ returns.
@irmah
We’re not married, and he owes over $10k. If he files and claims the kids, they’ll take the whole refund, and we won’t see any of it.
Kim said:
@irmah
We’re not married, and he owes over $10k. If he files and claims the kids, they’ll take the whole refund, and we won’t see any of it.
Does he have a plan to deal with the tax debt, or is he letting it sit there? Using the child tax credit to pay it down would stop interest and penalties from piling up.
Kim said:
@irmah
We’re not married, and he owes over $10k. If he files and claims the kids, they’ll take the whole refund, and we won’t see any of it.
If no one is claiming the kids now, you’re still missing out on money. If he claims them, at least it’ll help reduce his tax debt. Filing as Head of Household would lower his taxes too.
For future years, he could adjust his W4 to withhold the right amount, so there’s no refund for the IRS to take.
How old are your kids? How long have you been out of the workforce?
When you say reselling, do you mean buying stuff to sell at a profit? If so, that’s self-employment, and you’re required to file taxes if you make more than $400 in a year.
Bennet said:
When you say reselling, do you mean buying stuff to sell at a profit? If so, that’s self-employment, and you’re required to file taxes if you make more than $400 in a year.
Yes, that’s what I do. I wasn’t sure if there’s a minimum amount you need to make to file.
@Kim
For self-employment, you have to file if you make $400 or more in a year. But depending on your income, it might not make sense for you to claim the kids instead of their dad. You could be leaving money on the table.
Track your costs and earnings. Your taxable income is your profit after expenses. This is reported on Schedule C with your tax return.
If the dad lives with the kids, he can claim them and will likely get more benefits than you would. It sounds like he’s still helping you out, so reducing his tax debt could free up more money for the household.
@Skyler
We’re actually splitting up soon, and I’m moving out with the kids. That’s why I’m trying to figure out if I can claim them without having a job. Thanks for the info—I’ll look into it.