How to Get a Larger Tax Refund

My boyfriend and i are living together, we have 1 daughter together and i have one from a previous relationship. Obviously i would claim the one i had prior, but who should claim the daughter we have together, me or him? I've heard several different ways to claim but how would we get a greater return? Should he claim one and i claim the other, or should one of us claim both? and if so, who? :confused:

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Quoting Nemo1

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My boyfriend and i are living together, we have 1 daughter together and i have one from a previous relationship. Obviously i would claim the one i had prior, but who should claim the daughter we have together, me or him? I've heard several different ways to claim but how would we get a greater return? Should he claim one and i claim the other, or should one of us claim both? and if so, who? :confused:

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There is no way to know without all the facts.

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Quoting Nemo1

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My boyfriend and i are living together, we have 1 daughter together and i have one from a previous relationship. Obviously i would claim the one i had prior, but who should claim the daughter we have together, me or him? I've heard several different ways to claim but how would we get a greater return? Should he claim one and i claim the other, or should one of us claim both? and if so, who? :confused:

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The best way to determine that is to get the tax software and run several simulations to see which way has the best results.

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Quoting adjusterjack

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The best way to determine that is to get the tax software and run several simulations to see which way has the best results.

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I agree...however without even playing with the results I can tell you that your boyfriend should NOT claim your daughter from another relationship...only the child that you share, assuming that works out the best for you.

If the two of you did not agree on whom should claim who, then the tiebreaker rule would give it to the parent with the highest income.

To amplify llworking's statement. Your boyfriend can not elect to claim an exemption for the your child from a previous relationship. There are two ways to claim an exemption: Qualifying child or qualifying relative. Your BF can't claim the child as his qualifying child as he fails the relationship test (this would change with certain events including you getting married). The child however is YOUR qualified child. The boyfriend hence can't use the qualifying relative aspect because the first test is "not a qualifying child of any other taxpayer".

The best way to do it is not to commit tax fraud in order to get more money. There are qualifications in the tax code. You must follow them.

I don't see where the OP proposed her boyfriend claim the child that is not his, nor do I see any intent on the part of anyone to commit tax fraud. You might as well advise me not to commit murder while you're at it.

Depending on your income, it might make sense for him to claim his child or it might make sense for you to claim both children. The one with the most income will likely qualify to file as a head of household as well, while the other would file as single (presuming s/he is unmarried).

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Quoting Bubba Jimmy

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I don't see where the OP proposed her boyfriend claim the child that is not his, nor do I see any intent on the part of anyone to commit tax fraud. You might as well advise me not to commit murder while you're at it.

Depending on your income, it might make sense for him to claim his child or it might make sense for you to claim both children. The one with the most income will likely qualify to file as a head of household as well, while the other would file as single (presuming s/he is unmarried).

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I agree...although I will also point out that the ability to file "head of household" isn't significant unless one of the parties has enough income for it to make a difference.

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Quoting Disagreeable

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The best way to do it is not to commit tax fraud in order to get more money. There are qualifications in the tax code. You must follow them.

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not following you

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Quoting Lehk

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not following you

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Disagreeable isn't educated on tax law so its best to just disregard that.