Tax credits.....

HappyMJ

Orville wrote: »

Hi.

Not doubting anyones opinions on this thread but how do you know this..?

(Not doubting you), just wanting to be as sure as i can.

If you want to be as sure as you can then ask the HMRC to decide for you. The link earlier shows that when a child that has two homes then it is up to the parents to agree amongst themselves who claims. It doesn't need to be exactly 50% of the time.

Murgatroyd21

HMRC aren't bothered who makes the claim for the child as the "main carer". Neither do they stipulate how any money paid is spent (never seen any guidance stating a parent has to spend a benefit on specific items for example).

It is much better for parents to agree, but if they don't, HMRC will look at a variety of things, including where a child normally lives. Other things can be as important, such as who takes the child to school, to the doctor/hospital as required? If the school has to contact someone, who would they contact? Who takes the child to buy clothes, who gets CB? This isn't definitive or exhaustive, just an example list.

As already mentioned, if these activities can be shown to be carried out more regularly by one parent than the other, there could be a problem for you if it isn't you.

In the first instance, you need to consider what's in the best interest of the child re: living arrangements, then you may want to consider if there's a financial or other motive to changing things.

Orville

HappyMJ wrote: »

If you want to be as sure as you can then ask the HMRC to decide for you. The link earlier shows that when a child that has two homes then it is up to the parents to agree amongst themselves who claims. It doesn't need to be exactly 50% of the time.

Sorry happy, i wasn't doubting you, just wanted to be sure.:D

My fault really i should have read further down



If your child lives with more than one person

Only one household can get Child Tax Credit for a child.
You might look after a child who sometimes lives with you and sometimes lives with someone else. You can't both get Child Tax Credit for the same child, so you'll have to decide who should get it.
You can't claim Child Tax Credit if your child doesn't live with you at all - even if you're paying maintenance.

I think this refers to what you were talking about.

By looking at that is seems it would be ok for me to have my name on the claim form.