A parent who receives child support on behalf of their child is expected to use that money to provide the child with their needs. Child support can be used in many ways by Florida parents, such as for housing and food, but also for child care costs, entertainment, transportation, and medical expenses. Raising a child is expensive, and for most people contributions from two incomes are needed to provide a child with what is necessary for their survival.
However, parents who receive child support may worry that the money they accept on behalf of their children will become imputed income that they must declare on their taxes. In just a few weeks, the way that alimony is taxed will change, and readers may have questions and concerns about if and how child support payments will be affected.
Put simply, child support is not considered income for parents who receive it on behalf of their kids. Parents are expected to financially contribute to their kids’ lives. Therefore, child support is money to use for that purpose. A parent who pays child support cannot deduct their payments from their taxable income, either, as such payments are for the benefit and welfare of their own offspring.
No changes are coming to the way that child support is addressed by tax laws. However, parents who are primary custodians of their kids should be aware that they may be able to secure deductions on their taxes for caring for their children as dependents. More information on these topics should be sought from family law attorneys, as this post offers neither tax nor family law advice.
