Submitted By: David
Answered: June 29, 2015 9:06 am

We’re supporting a ward of the state. Can we still claim an exemption for him?

If the child has been placed with you as a foster child by an agency or the government, you can claim a dependency exemption as long as the child has lived with you for more than half the year and the child doesn’t pay more than half of his/her support (foster care payments are provided by the agency, not you). If the child has been placed with you for a legal adoption, the child is treated as your own.

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Tax Glossary

Tax identification number

For an individual, his or her Social Security number; for businesses, fiduciaries, and other non-individual taxpayers, the employer identification number.

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