Can someone help me with this?

[Drader_Babe]

I want to go do my taxes on monday nut I need alittle help, My DH and I seperated back in April of last year and this is our first time filing seperated.. Does anyone know if we have to claim the child support? As in me getting it as income and him as a expense?? I read that we dont have to claim court appointed child supprt but ours isnt, its our own agreement. My only other income I claim is my universl child care benefits so I dont know if it will help me or not.

[SmackUTwice]

I want to go do my taxes on monday nut I need alittle help, My DH and I seperated back in April of last year and this is our first time filing seperated.. Does anyone know if we have to claim the child support? As in me getting it as income and him as a expense?? I read that we dont have to claim court appointed child supprt but ours isnt, its our own agreement. My only other income I claim is my universl child care benefits so I dont know if it will help me or not.

I'm in the same boat... altho, daughter's daddy and I were never married, hehe. But he gives me child support... which is our own agreement as well.

I'm pretty sure you do need to claim it. We did and will again this year. It makes sense to... it is income/expense.

[Sally888]

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tg/p102/README.html

Opps lost my post when i edited. No do not claim them as income.
As for him im not sure, but i'm positive you DO NOT claim it. BUT if he paid you alimony you have to claim that.

Tax rules for court orders or written agreements made after April 1997
Generally, payments made for the maintenance of a child under a court order or written agreement made after April 1997 (or before May 1997 if any other the situations mentioned above apply) are not deductible by the payer and do not have to be included in income by the recipient. Payments made for the maintenance of the recipient continue to be deductible to the payer and must be included in the recipient’s income. The following explanations provide more information about these rules.

Child support payments
Under court orders and written agreements made after April 1997, any support amount that is not identified in the order or agreement as being solely for the support of the recipient is considered to be child support. These amounts are not deductible by the payer and do not have to be included in income by the recipient.

[Sally888]

Heres another great link.
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/t.../menu-eng.html

From the look of it he can only claim alimony paid, not child support.

[Drader_Babe]

Thanks so much!!

[SmackUTwice]

Maybe I didn't claim it then, and he did... and they asked him ro proof or something. *shrugs* I forget, lol.

[BFMamaOf2]

I believe there is a stipulation as well tho if alimony & child support are all inclusive as one payment (through court order or mutual agreement) that neither are to be claimed as income....I think the claiming of alimony as income only applies to those who did not have children. It will be listed in the info area, from the link above if I remember correctly. This is my first year filing as separated as well & I won't be claiming any child support as income received since when I checked into it I received the same info as Sally posted. It is not an 'expense' for him, it is his responsibility as a parent

[froggiestyle]

you dont claim it as income and he cant claim it either ~child support

[MissDayle]

you dont claim it as income and he cant claim it either ~child support

This is correct.

Child support is not taxable in the hands of the recipient, nor is it tax deductible in the hands of the payor.

[Louise W]

If your child , children live with you , you can also claim one of your children ( usually the youngest) as an eligible dependent . You would need to be able to provide info showing that you and the childrens father lived at different addresses and possibly a letter from him stating that the children lived with you. You can claim this wether you get child support or not. Child support is not taxable income. However it is often put on the payor and payees tax returns to show that it has been payed and received. Spousal support on the other hand is taxable income when set up in a court order and should be included as taxable income and a deduction on the payors tax return