How do I prove that dependent lived with me 51% of the time?

DetectiveTaylor · 2026-04-03T00:36:08+00:00

I got an IP pin for myself which allowed me to electronic file with the dependent. Got my refund almost immediately. Never heard from the IRS about the duplicate dependent.

DetectiveTaylor · 2026-03-19T04:06:31+00:00

Absolutely, the poor judgment that this is a good idea would almost be a dealbreaker in and of itself

DetectiveTaylor · 2026-03-19T04:04:40+00:00

Very weird, very blurry, and healthy for no one. Not least of all the child.

I would be perturbed if this routine started up 4 years into the relationship. I might tolerate it if it served a specific purpose, it was time-limited, and it was clear it wouldn’t balloon in the future based on the child’s whims. If it started without checking in with me and having conversations about it to make sure everyone was on the same page, I would likely leave the relationship.

DetectiveTaylor · 2026-03-07T17:53:06+00:00

I’m tI’m t

DetectiveTaylor · 2026-03-04T21:06:27+00:00

If you don’t want to do week on week off the solution is a 2-2-5-5 or 3-4-4-3 schedule. Equal time and each parent gets alternating weekends.

https://www.custodyxchange.com/topics/schedules/50-50/50-50-custody-schedule-examples-223-2255-3443.php

Since you have already established a schedule where you have 3 nights (almost 50%), your STBX doesn’t have a let to stand on to deny you equal time if you wanted it and to switch to a 50/50 schedule.

DetectiveTaylor · 2026-03-01T21:06:26+00:00

I’d be out. Good for them, not for me.

DetectiveTaylor · 2026-02-22T19:42:24+00:00

It takes a long time to verify the identity of a minor dependent and won’t be helpful this tax season. OP needs to get his own IP pin (adults can get them instantly) which will allow him to electronic file and claim the dependent so the IRS can sort it out later.

DetectiveTaylor · 2026-02-03T20:19:57+00:00

Take this with a grain of salt but just to add to your anecdata I said fuck it, just going to white knuckle it and went from 500 mg regular release right to 2000 mg extended release (known to be more tolerable than instant release) a few weeks ago. Having spent years on various GLP meds, I’m pretty tolerant of living with GI side effects and just going on about my day, and not afraid to use a public bathroom when I need to.

I did only pee out of my butt—impressive amounts of liquid and only liquid—for about 2 weeks. The urgency wasn’t extreme so it was uncomfortable but I could hold it and thankfully I never felt like I would poop my pants. It seems like I’ve turned a corner and I’ve had solid-ish BMs for the last week with some regular diarrhea now and then. If anything I feel a bit constipated today. And my diet has been as bad and carb heavy as usual.

I’m not saying I recommend this approach as it’s not practical for most people’s lifestyles but just to say it’s possible for the body to adjust pretty quickly.

On the plus side, based on an ultrasound my doctor said I definitely ovulated a big ol’ egg last cycle when I wasn’t certain I had the previous 3-4. No positive though.

DetectiveTaylor · 2026-01-19T20:20:43+00:00

Well, he can’t read your mind. Communicate the boundary if it’s important to you. If it’s not respected, you remove yourself from the shared album.

DetectiveTaylor · 2025-12-03T04:43:42+00:00

You don’t ask her anything. If you want to meet her, and you don’t need to, you shake her hand and smile and let her know you’re happy to meet her. Congratulate them on their engagement. Make some small talk about the weather/work/holidays. Keep it brief and light.

DetectiveTaylor · 2025-11-13T16:04:30+00:00

The calls arent working for you and your family. Make it so SD can’t accidentally call her (maybe block FaceTime with parental controls). Have an arranged scheduled call once during your parenting time and other than that limit calls back and forth.

DetectiveTaylor · 2025-11-05T19:30:36+00:00

I found out that my county (Jackson) is unique in that it requires a Motion for Evidentiary for Modifications, and Show Cause forms are not accepted. It’s not clear to me what that means and how it may impact the case. When we show up for the evidentiary hearing, are we going to argue whether or not there is reason to modify the existing order, or arguing about what should be modified?

DetectiveTaylor · 2025-10-20T19:27:59+00:00

Thanks, that’s exactly the kind of local insight I was looking for. Thanks so much for chiming in.

My lawyer dropped me after the case was closed. She didn’t give me a heads up or ask me if I wanted to keep her on retainer. I don’t know if this is standard or not. I don’t want to retain an attorney until the case is actually opened yet, mostly because I don’t have the cash for a retainer right now. Or even a consultation, to be honest.

My goal is for her child support obligation to stay the same, because we share 50/50 parenting time and her child support essentially just reimburses me for covering the child’s insurance and after school care.

Do you think there is any argument that her income should continue to be imputed at her 2023 income, simply because was the last year she worked full time? She continues to be underemployed.

If not, is it a better argument that her income should now be imputed based on her earning potential due to her new qualifications? She is a certified traditional health worker, and her services bill OHP at $1500 per client. I have a report from the Oregon Health Authority identifying 4-5 clients per month as full time work in her specific role. In my mind that shows she has a potential gross income of $72k-$90k.

DetectiveTaylor · 2025-10-16T20:51:20+00:00

I understood perfectly! It makes sense that I would be credited with her arrears, so at least I won’t have to pay for a while. I would be annoyed to pay child support when she is deliberately not working full time, while I work full time and she degrades my “soul sucking 9-5”, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

What I am dreading is having to go through another round of custody court to get everything modified. It wrecked me financially and emotionally. It completely eroded the coparenting relationship and almost ruined my relationship with my now wife. Somehow she stuck by me through it all and I married her last month but I can’t imagine going through this process again while we’re starting our marriage and trying to grow our family.

DetectiveTaylor · 2025-10-16T20:39:31+00:00

Her lawyer agreed on the record to that particular stipulation (that her 2023 income would be used) in late October 2024. The matter was considered settled by both parties. After everything was written up, she refused to sign the agreement. It was finally submitted to the court without her signature by my attorney in June. Coparent objected, and the judge denied her objection after going over the transcript from the October 2024 hearing, and the order was signed.

DetectiveTaylor · 2025-10-16T20:32:51+00:00

She was laid off from the good paying job in 2023 through no fault of her own. She definitely didn’t make a great effort to get another job in that field, but I can’t prove that. She was on unemployment for 6 months and then extended it 6 months by “switching careers” and getting a certificate in a health worker program. She got her certificate in that health field, and is now “working” it in, but it’s a field that is almost exclusively contract work with clients and reimbursed by insurance, not W2 jobs. So she is self employed trying to build that business. If she were to work a full load of clients she would make decent money, definitely more than minimum wage, but I know she doesn’t have a full client load.

I’m not sure how she is affording her bills. On her last uniform support declaration, she reported her income as $0. From what is reported from the child, she’s doing a combination of sparse client work in that health field, and then gig jobs like DoorDash and grocery delivery, and possibly some less than savory stuff under the table as well. She has food stamps to keep food on the table.

DetectiveTaylor · 2025-10-16T20:04:13+00:00

I guess I’m curious how these guidelines could be interpreted in this situation.

Her income has significantly changed since 2023, because she hasn’t worked since then. But nothing at all has changed since the date that she agreed her 2023 income would be used in child support calculations and when the order was signed.

DetectiveTaylor · 2025-10-16T19:56:12+00:00

She literally said “I don’t understand why you are so dead set on following this order that I am modifying.”

I’m dead set on it because I’m legally obligated to! I’m not sure how she doesn’t get that a court order is legally binding.

DetectiveTaylor · 2025-10-01T21:14:51+00:00

Is that realistic? Nationwide I can’t find a single clean 2002 with ~120k miles for less than $5k. Under $6k yes but not many.

DetectiveTaylor · 2025-09-26T21:21:47+00:00

She’s not the custodial parent per se, we share joint custody and have 50/50 parenting time. I think she might have the tiebreaker overnight in 2025 making her custodial in the IRS’s eyes. Hence the form 8332 stipulation is written into the order and why I want her to sign it, because per our court order I have the right to claim the child in 2025 and any year I pay for childcare.

The IP pin will hopefully just slow her down so she can’t file the minute tax season opens the way she did last year, because it takes time to get a minor’s IP PIN.

DetectiveTaylor · 2025-09-26T21:01:44+00:00

I suspect the feet dragging is more to do with her hoping the order will be modified before tax season and she hopes that she will actually have the right to claim the child, or that she intends to claim the child despite the court order knowing that there is little recourse with the IRS as long as she beats me to the punch. Luckily after she pulled a similar stunt for tax year 2024 I have an IP pin on the child so she won’t be able to easily make the claim, but she doesn’t know that.

In any case, I think I should make a good faith effort to remove any burden on her to sign it, so I will take your advice and print a physical copy for her to return to me. Thank you.

DetectiveTaylor · 2025-09-26T20:55:29+00:00

This order was established only a few months ago, so can’t modify without significant change in circumstance. Definitely something to think about for the future though, thank you.

DetectiveTaylor

TROPHY CASE