why is child support not tax deductible if a parent pays child expenses? is not fair to the parent paying?

Question

on the other hand the parent receiving child support does not pay taxes for the child care money recived so he or she is making good money not paying taxes and receiving money for expenses. also this parent can claim the child as a dependent so more money.

Answer 1

It is not deductible to you, because you as a parent have an obligation to support your child. the other parent is using your child support payments to assist in supporting your child. It is not considered income to the parent receiving it, and it is not deductible to the parent paying it. What you pay a month in child support probably barely covers a 1/4 of what it costs to raise and provide for a child

Answer 2

Why? It was never built into the tax law that way. While alimony payments are considered income/expense by the receiving and paying parties, respectively, child support is not.

Without researching in depth, I would say that child support would fall under the 'personal expenses' category. The general rule is that personal expenses are not deductible for taxable income. There are exceptions written in the Code, like mortgage interest, state income taxes, property taxes, etc.

Since it is not a deductible expense, it also isn't taxable income. The IRS doesn't view child support as a 'money making' event.

In regards to claiming the dependency exemption for taxes, that is a right to an individual if they qualify. Child tax credits and EIC are the government's way of giving breaks to lower income families.

None of them should be viewed as income producing activities, even if the recipient treats them as such. It wasn't designed to be that way.

Answer 3

Sure, it's as fair as making a man who was proven by DNA to NOT be the father of a child, still pay child support. This recently happened up here in Toronto, Canada and mirrors a number of cases down in the US where the courts held that because the man had previously thought he was the father and acted as such (because the woman said he was) that was no reason for the child to suffer and be without a father figure so he still had to pay child support. While I may not agree with it I'm sure some of the same logic was used in the case you mention.

Answer 4

Wow, if you hate your kid that much dont have any.

No party receives actual benefits from this if u had to turn that around and say , this should be tax deductable and tax'd in the carring parents hands, basically all you are doing is decreasing the money available to spend on the child.

In my opinion, this rule of law is implemented for the well being of the child and is not concerned with the adults paying taxes.

Answer 5

that is what everyone says..."It s for your children", if you don t pay it means you don t love your children" never mind that sometimes the amount a non custodial parent must pay does not leave them enough to make ends meet, in my case I pay $600 a month, plus another $675 for medical / dental insurance ( all before any taxes), I work full time and after this I do not have enough to fill a gas tank to get to said job, to say nothing of rent and utilities, when I dared to ask how that is fair those were the responses i got, so now I am borrowing from family and friends just to get to work and at the end of this month will be forced to stay in a homeless shelter, oh I know this means nothing to most but my ex just called to gloat over how she bought a used school bus to convert into a tail gate party bus at NFL games, and had to pay the NFL to get special licensing to put her teams colors and logos on it, but she does not have the money to bring our children to me for a visit ( I live in IL and she lives in MO) even though it is spelled out in our divorce decree that I am allowed visits and I have made several trips to see them, but apparently I have no right to be bitter

Answer 6

you cannot claim child support as a deductible for taking care of your own child.

Answer 7

You should get some kind of a credit for it, I agree, but it does take alot to raise kids, alot more than most child support amounts, so don't sound so bitter toward the custodial parents. Don't you want your kids to have everything they can?

Answer 8

Because that's the LAW. Plain and simple! If you don't like it, contact your elected representatives.