Raising children on your own isn’t easy. Single parents can use any help they can get, which is why, at tax time, there are certain tips that can come as a welcome relief. When filing your tax return as a single parent, consider the following eight points:

  1. Head of Household Status – if your children lived with you for over 50% of the year, and you were single by the end of the tax year, you can file using the head of household status. You have to have made a majority of the household income, but it can greatly reduce your tax burden and offer new deductions.
  2. Dependent Qualifications – the amount of dependents you claim can change which credits and deductions you may be eligible for. Deductions for one child can’t be split between parents, so usually a written decree (from divorce or separation) is in place to state who can claim the child. Generally, the custodial parent is entitled to the deduction for dependents, as they meet all the requirements on care and household support. A dependent child is one who lived with you for at least six months of the year and has been financially supported by your income during that time.
  3. Exemptions – Every taxpayer is entitled to a personal exemption, but you can also claim a dependent exemption for each of your qualified dependents. These exemptions can add up, but if you make over $279,650 a year and claim Head of Household, you can’t claim these exemptions.
  4. Dependent Credits –those who earn less than $75,000 are able to claim a $1000 credit per dependent child under the age of 17 on the final day of December.
  5. Child Care Tax Credit – paying for someone else to care for your child while you work can net you a $3,000 credit for a single child ($6,000 for two or more). The types of child care that qualify vary, but can include after school programs and day camps.
  6. Dependent Spending Accounts – You can contribute up to $5,000 tax free in a special account provided by your employer that allows for dependent expenses.
  7. Earned Income Credit – parents who earn less than $46,997 and have three or more dependent children qualify for this credit, which is based on income and dependent amounts. Taxpayers with less children may qualify for a portion of the credit.
  8. Adoption credit – Federal tax credits apply to help offset the costs you may have incurred for an adoption throughout the tax year.
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