Tax refunds for unmarried fathers

oeb

Hey folks,
I have a 4 year old with my ex girlfriend, she is unemployed and recieves lone parent payments from the government. She has full custody, but he stays with me at weekends.

Since my son was born I have paid more that €20,000 (€5200 per year, the amount has not changed since his birth) in child maintenance payments to his mother. I have a record of this, and she would be happy to provide receipts.

The maintenance payment is not court ordered, the figure was agreed apon between us, and the social welfare office is aware of the amount and has been since the beginning. It's all above board.

Am I entitled to any refunds or anything due to this?

I am full time employed, and have been for the entire 4 years (With the exception of 6 weeks at the end of last year, but I did not sign on or anything), I am a single man (and claiming the relevant tax credits).

Cheers.

nompere

On the basis of what you say you are entitled to the lone parent tax credit. It's the same amount as the single person credit - currently €1830 pa.

As a general tax rule maintenance payments for children are neither an allowance for the payer nor income for the recipient.

If you're making a claim for 2006 you have until the end of this year.

oeb

nompere wrote: »

On the basis of what you say you are entitled to the lone parent tax credit. It's the same amount as the single person credit - currently €1830 pa.

As a general tax rule maintenance payments for children are neither an allowance for the payer nor income for the recipient.

If you're making a claim for 2006 you have until the end of this year.

Thanks for the info, so a single person has the same tax credits as someone with a child?

nompere

Properly it's called the "One-parent family tax credit".

You can get it if you are not entitled to a married tax credit and you have a child living with you for all or part of a year of assessment - weekends are fine for this.

It isn't available to an unmarried couple living together.

It gives you credits equal to the married tax credit.

maddogcollins

You can claim it by filling out Form OP1 which is available to print on http://www.revenue.ie

roboshatner

I'm just saying but I don't think if fare that unmarried couple living together don't get it.

Cause there are a lot of couples out there that are not married and have kids.

nompere

roboshatner wrote: »

I'm just saying but I don't think if fare that unmarried couple living together don't get it.

Cause there are a lot of couples out there that are not married and have kids.

A married couple with children get credits of €3,660.

An unmarried couple with children get credits of €3,660

A single parent with children gets credits of €3,660.

In each case a "family unit" which includes children gets a credit of €3,660. Seems fair to me.

oeb

nompere wrote: »

A married couple with children get credits of €3,660.

An unmarried couple with children get credits of €3,660

A single parent with children gets credits of €3,660.

In each case a "family unit" which includes children gets a credit of €3,660. Seems fair to me.

Out of interest, my ex is not working, but if she was, would only one of us get the extra tax credits or would both of us get them?

nompere

If there are two one parent families then there are two one parent family credits. That's why I used the phrase "family unit" in a previous post.

The critical thing is that each parent has the child living with them for part of the year.