Family Life Events Series: How Having a Baby Can Save You Money on Your Taxes Read the Article Open Share Drawer Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Written by Philip Taylor Published Jan 1, 2013 - [Updated Jun 10, 2019] 3 min read There are few, if any, joys in life that can be compared to the birth of your child. Yet, in the middle of such happiness, someone (usually an uncle you only see twice a year) always seems to tell you how expensive a child will be in the 18 years that you’ll be responsible for them. test4444 Medical Expenses Depending on where and how you decided to have your child (hospital, birthing center, home care birthing specialists) you probably got popped with a pretty large medical expense to bring your little bundle of joy into this world. Although paying medical bills isn’t too much fun, the good news is that you can deduct those expenses (as itemized deductions) on that year’s taxes, saving you quite a bundle. I don’t know if it’s common practice, but my wife and I were still receiving bills from nurses and anesthesiologists when our baby was seven months old. This serves as a reminder to keep excellent records and store all of your receipts and documents in a safe place. Your Child is Dependent on You A new baby is totally dependent on his or her parents, but they also give mom and dad quite a nice tax break. The word on the street is that claiming a dependent (newborn or not) on your 2012 tax return will net you a $3,800 deduction. That’s $100 more than 2011 and you can claim this exemption no matter what time of year your child was born. Your Child’s Gift to You Not only do parents get to reap the benefits of a new dependent on their tax returns, but they also get another small gift from their little bundle of joy – the Child Tax Credit. This year, the child tax credit remains the same at $1,000 per child. Here’s how a tax deduction and credit differ: a deduction reduces the overall amount of your taxable income while a tax credit reduces your tax bill by the actual dollar amount This means that a $1000 Child Tax Credit reduces your tax bill by $1,000. The Gift that Keeps on Giving – Your W4 Tax breaks on tax day are great, but don’t forget about your monthly take home pay. When you have a child, this new person in your life also changes how you fill out your W-4 at work. Because claiming a dependent changes your tax bill, this means you may be able to now cut back a little bit on your tax withholding at your job. Simply put, a new baby at home can upgrade your take-home pay. All you have to do is request to file an updated W-4 with your employer. It might also be important to note that, if you’re a single parent, a new child might enable you to change your filing status from “single” to “head of household”. This simple change will increase your standard deduction. Credit for Adoption There are many people each year that adopt their new precious little bundle. And thanks to Uncle Sam, this scenario also comes with plenty of tax help. In 2012, the Adoption Credit is worth $12,650 to help offset the cost of adopting a child. And for parents who adopt a child with “special needs” the IRS allows them to claim the full amount of the credit, even if the actual adoption costs were less. No matter how you look at it, bringing a new child into your home and raising them to adulthood will cost quite a bit, but using TurboTax will help you apply all of the tax deductions, credits, and tax breaks that the government allows. Previous Post Filed an Extension? You Can Still Claim the Educator Expense… Next Post Healthcare Reform – Glossary: Key Terms Explained Written by Philip Taylor More from Philip Taylor 3 responses to “Life Events Series: How Having a Baby Can Save You Money on Your Taxes” When did having kids become a paycheck to parents? No wonder so many people have them that can’t afford to support them. And someone has to pay for it all with few seeming to care. The government doesn’t have any money of it’s own other than what it confiscates through taxation…the only place it can come from is from those still actually paying taxes today. Given that 51 percent of americans today are already on welfare and with all their kids, it’s a depressing article to read if one bothers to actually take into account the bigger picture. There’s been no avoidance of the so-called Fiscal, the deck chairs on the Titanic are merely being rearranged again. And the gullible still don’t see it. Reply Concerned, you should be concerned with your reading comprehension skills. People on welfare don’t pay taxes, so this article has nothing to do with them. Reply Um, per the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, 4.1% of the American population is on welfare. Where did you get the 51% from? Reply Leave a ReplyCancel reply Browse Related Articles Uncategorized What Is Deferred Compensation & How Is It Taxed? Investments How Does an Inherited IRA Work? Work Choosing Your Business Structure: 5 Types of Businesses… Tax Deductions and Credits Are HOA Fees Tax Deductible? What You Need to Know Crypto Understanding Crypto and Capital Gains Work 7 Things You Need to Know About the New Business Report… Work Using Form 8829 to Write-Off Business Use of Your Home Tax Tips Roth 403(b) vs. Roth IRA: Which Should You Invest In? Life Interest Rates, Inflation, and Your Taxes Investments Essential Tax Tips for Maximizing Investment Gains
When did having kids become a paycheck to parents? No wonder so many people have them that can’t afford to support them. And someone has to pay for it all with few seeming to care. The government doesn’t have any money of it’s own other than what it confiscates through taxation…the only place it can come from is from those still actually paying taxes today. Given that 51 percent of americans today are already on welfare and with all their kids, it’s a depressing article to read if one bothers to actually take into account the bigger picture. There’s been no avoidance of the so-called Fiscal, the deck chairs on the Titanic are merely being rearranged again. And the gullible still don’t see it. Reply
Concerned, you should be concerned with your reading comprehension skills. People on welfare don’t pay taxes, so this article has nothing to do with them. Reply
Um, per the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, 4.1% of the American population is on welfare. Where did you get the 51% from? Reply