College- Pell Grant-taxes

[abnvet]

I don't know if anyone else has had this experience before but here it goes.

Been divorced since 1997 and I've been lucky enough to be able to claim my daughter on my income taxes since 1997 and subsequent years. (this is written in my divorce decree).

My daughter will graduate high school this June and her mother says that she wants to claim her on "her" income taxes so that she'll qualify for more of a pell grant. Seeing that she made less income this year as compared to I.

Now using my Google-fu, I've found articles about this but nothing that is 100% percent concrete that
this will help my daughter gain more money from the pell grants.

In addition, if I were to go along with this action, my wife (current) and I will lose a deduction when we file for our income taxes this year. ( 3 deductions down to 2 )

I don't wish to stand in the way of my daughter receiving finances for college but at the same time don't want to give into the ex for the only reason that she couldn't hold onto a real job this year.

Also, it was weird that the ex said that I didn't have to pay child support anymore. My daughter turned 18 in May. Weird because any searching for law in Texas shows that I must continue to pay until she is 18 OR until she graduates high school - whichever is the latest.....( What is she up to ??? )

Anyone have experience with this??

 

[willis williams]

Don't fall in to the child suport thing by law you have to pay till she is graduated. If she was held back and graduated at 19 you would still pay for that time. It would benifit your ex big time at tax time because the state would garnish your return to pay back child suport that would go straight to your ex and your ex would get the earned income and tax credit all at once wich I dowt your daughter would see any of. This sounds like someone trying to benefit for the wrong reasons. If your ex is the primary care provider and her income is low than your daughter will probably get the same amount. Pick up a copy of the form and read it through her award may go off both incomes since you are evedently not a dead beat dad and you pay. I could see it benefiting your daughter if you were gone. Do you get any disability it helps also just being a veteran most colleges and universities give a reduced tuition. Some colleges and universities here in Wa. give up to 50% in tuition. If you do decide to not pay the child support do it through a lawyer because if it is not stamped and sighed by a judge it is not legally binding and they will still garnish your tax return or wages. Good luck I got screw good by my ex. oh hows the weather there I miss Texas I was born and raised there moved to washington for my ex and got trapped here she has my boys so I cant leave.

 

[Jimmy1]

I agree with Tex mate. The laws in Australia are pretty much the same. Aged 18 or when they finish University. But the only difference is that you have to apply for an extension if they go to Uni. My first wife (the blood sucking ice queen leach incarnate), got paid child support and every year, because I was behind, the tax department garnished my return. And you know what, she never paid a thing for my daughter after she was 16. She claimed to be putting it in a trust fund (my arse). I reckon I paid for her house. Work it out. Two children, 18% of my gross income for 13 years.
That sucked the bitch.

Well, thats out of my system now. Abnvet, if I were you, I would do some snooping. And ring the Child Support place to confirm.

 

[willis williams]

Abnvet, your ex might lust need the extra money. If she does not make very much money she should get plenty on her tax return. And your daughter could file for amansepation from her mother and get a bunch moremoney if she does it before she graduates. Because it will go of her earnings and possibly your last chid support payments will go straight to her not the ex. their is a way out of child support I did it with legal documents my ex wanted to buy me out of the house I bought while married so I got a lump sum and 4 years without childsupport. This was all done at her cost because that was what she wanted so she had to pay for it. If you try to do this with your ex put the money that you would normally pay asside so you dont get hurt in the future. GoodLuck!

 

[abnvet]

In Texas the law states that child support is paid until the child turns 18 or she graduates from high school. She turned 18 on May 27, 2010 and she will graduate high school this June 2011. I will make sure to continue to pay until she graduates high school for sure. Its the tax thing that has me stumped. If I give into her claiming my daughter, will this really help my daughter get more money from the pell grants? I know it will really hurt me when filing my income tax this April 2011.......

Oh and yes, I have 60% VA disability. I haven't heard of any Texas colleges offering discounts for this at this time......

 

[willis williams]

I don't think that it will help your daughter just put money in your ex's pocket and enless it is court ordered they will still take your money. So your ex gets a better tax return plus your garnishment for the remainding child support. The tuition reduction I believe is federally funded and you need to check with the voc. rehab at the VA and the vet. reprasentative at the college. There are also grants for children of veterans of certian erras. American Legion,VFW,DAV and so on. I will check on the tuition reduction through my sister in Lake Dallas She and her husband are 1st gulf war veterans. Even if it cost you a little money to cover your ass it will be worth it. The money that you could have lost by giving up the deduction you could put to her college and it would probably be more than your ex would have gained for her pell grants. And you can bet that your ex would not even bought your daughter some new close for college and you being the dad you are would have found a way to get them for her. I am constantly screwed by my ex so I am bius. good luck

 

[willis williams]

www.finaid.org/military/veterans.phtml There are many more like this you can even go state by state Texas used to be the most genurous state when I got out I could have had a full ride being a native born Texan. To bad I followed a woman istead. They are there for your daughter you just hav to look through them some may only pay the first year and others may just give a % deduction in tuition. there were a hole bunch And I will keep looking. you should not have to worry to much about pell grants if it is low it can be made up in what you fought for. so good luck and just dont get screwed . TEX

 

[abnvet]

Thanks for the link. I'll definitely check it out!

 

[abnvet]

Update: just filed my income taxes and discovered that my ex-wife claimed my daughter on this year's taxes. I have the divorce decree stating that I continue to claim her "from 1997 and subsequent years". I've been claiming her with no problems since 1997 and now all of a sudden her mother claims her. Now feeling embarrassed I returned to the tax representative and had to pick up my file to send in to the IRS with a copy of my divorce decree. I'm like, What The...happened here...

I found out from the government that I could continue to claim my daughter and her mother could fill out the financial aid papers with her information. Too Easy! --All she had to do was follow the instructions that I talked about. but no, she went all the way and filed her as a dependent...Sorry about the vent here all!