01/21/2026
Why the IRS is asking about fathers now??
When kids are claimed on a tax return, the IRS has to confirm who truly qualifies to claim them. Over the last few years, a LOT of fraud and improper claims happened with:
Same child claimed by multiple people
Parents “switching” kids for bigger refunds
Non-custodial parents claiming kids they don’t support
Ghost preparers filing without asking questions
So now the IRS requires stronger due diligence from us, the tax preparers.
What the IRS is really trying to verify
They are NOT being nosey for drama. They want to confirm:
Who the child lived with
Did the child live with you more than 6 months?
Who provided support!
Did you pay more than 50% of household expenses?
Who else could claim the child.
Is the father:
Living in the home? Providing significant support?Court-ordered to claim? Deceased? Completely uninvolved? This helps prevent the IRS from later saying: “Someone else had the right to claim this child.”