Parenting for Unmarried Couples FAQ
Unmarried couples who want to raise children face some unique parenting issues.
What steps must unmarried parents take to ensure that they are both considered the legal parents of their child?
Does a child born to unmarried parents qualify for government benefits?
When an unmarried couple has a child, whose last name does the child take?
Can an unmarried couple adopt a child together?
If a parent partners with someone who isn't the child's other parent, can the new partner adopt the child?
» Can both unmarried parents claim their child on their separate tax returns?
Can a person who isn't a parent, but who plays a live-in parental role, take care of tasks like signing school permission slips or making medical decisions for a child?
When unmarried parents separate, how does the breakup affect parenting rights and responsibilities?
Can both unmarried parents claim their child on their separate tax returns?
Taxes affect unmarried people with children much in the same way they do divorced partners -- only one person can claim the child as a dependent. This doesn't mean that only one parent is entitled to claim the child, just that only one person can legally take the exemption. How to decide who gets the tax break? That's easy. The parent whose income is in the higher tax bracket will get a bigger tax savings. Parents can agree in advance, and in writing if they prefer, on how to split the return.
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