Conference moira::parenting

>    d.  I've been told there's a number in Massachusetts to "call
>      in" your tax information.  I've heard of two people that did
>      this and received their refunds within two days!  Does anyone
>      have their tax booklet around and can give me that number? I
>      moved to NH over this past year and MA punished me by not
>      sending me any tax form/booklet although I do work in MA.

I don't know the details of this - but what I heard on the radio was that
the state sent instructions to those that 'qualified' to submit by
phone...  don't know what those 'qualifications' were.


Dan

    The latest on the law that I have heard is "spousal maintenance" is tax
    deductable, while child support isn't.  spousal maintenance is
    deductable by the payer and must be claimed as income by the payee. 
    (Don't ask me I didn't make the laws)
    
    meg

    .2
    
    "Spousal maintenance"?  Is that alimony?  Is there still
    such a thing?  
    
    Well, all I know is I did alright.  I figure, with me getting
    the support, being able to claim the daycare, not having to 
    claim the support, etc...  well, he shouldn't have left us or
    if that spousal maintenance would cover his support, he should
    have married me before he left :-) :-)
    
    						cj *->
    
    					

    There's a distinct difference.  Spousal Maintenance is alimony, and is
    deductible by the payer and needs to be added as additional income by
    the person receiving it.
    
    For example, my boyfriend pays $210./wk.  $160./wk is for child
    support, $50.00/wk is for alimony.  He can deduct the $50.00/wk from
    his taxes, and she must claim it as income.  She does claim both the
    kids.
    
    For our son, I claim my son as a dependent, but he writes off the
    daycare (my max is already taken w/ the other 2 kids).  I THINK that's
    okay, as I don't claim any of the baby's daycare.
    
    It's odd that you can't each claim a portion of it.  What if one of you
    had custody for half the year, and the other for the other half??  Are
    you sure you can't each claim "some"??
    
    -Patty

    re. the Mass. Tax filing phone number
    
    It's available to Mass. residents who file the short form.
    
    If you live in NH and plan on itemising any deductions, it isn't for
    you.
    
    [I live in NH and work in Mass., too. So I checked]
    
      Annie

    re.4 
    
    Both my daycare provider and the accountant who prepared my
    taxes said there can only be one daycare deduction per child.
    I don't know the why.  It doesn't seem entirely right to me,
    and perhaps it isn't (seems the accountant would know), but
    I didn't research it to any great depth.     
    
    re.5
    
    Thanks for the info on the phone number.  I suspected it would
    have to be short form filing only, just wanted to be sure.
    
    					cj *->

    She does not have to be licensed to claim it.  I had been
    told that they had to be, but that is incorrect.
    
    My provider kept a running total of what I paid her.  She
    gave me her ss# and total and that was all I needed for 
    taxes.  I did not need a receipt, I have all her cancelled
    checks, but really don't need them.  Should I be auditted
    though, well then I would need them.
    
    						cj *->

    re.8
    
    I'd also like to add I have already submitted my MA state
    taxes as I described in .8 with just that information listed
    and I have already received back the refund, so everything
    went ok.
    
    You really should consider some sort of paper trail for 
    auditting though.
    
    						cj *->

>>    I'd also like to add I have already submitted my MA state
>>    taxes as I described in .8 with just that information listed
>>    and I have already received back the refund, so everything
>>    went ok.

Does MA allow special deductions for child care?  

Where are you people "claiming" or "reporting" this on your federal forms (and
what are the limits)?

I assume the rules are different if the person is not self-employeed?

bjm

    
    They're supposed to claim it as income, no matter what they call
    themselves (self-employed or not).  
    
    You're allowed to deduct it on the federal dependent-care "while you
    work" form (well, a portion of it).
    
    You don't have to have anything to "prove", and I'm sure that as long
    as you both worked with the same final number that 1 sheet of paper
    that said that you paid her $xxx.xx for childcare during 199x would
    suffice.
    
    One year we had a daycare lady who had said that of course she was
    going to claim it as income.  But when it came time to give up her SS#
    so that we could write it off, she wanted nothing to do with it (we had
    since stopped using her, and she avoided us like the plague!).  The IRS
    hotline said to just write down her name and last known address, and
    they'd worry about her side of it.  
    
    Never heard any more about it (and I don't know if she did either).
    
    I don't know about MA dependent care deductions.
    
    

	If anyone here has file federal form 2441, and feels slightly
	comfortable with it, I've got a question.

	I won't hold you personally liable if you are wrong.  It
	will not affect the outcome of my federal taxes, but may
	impact my state taxes.

	Please contact me if you think you can help...

	Thanks!
	Karen