It’s Tax Time & You’re Divorced

How do you determine who receives the dependency exemption for the children?

To claim the dependency exemption the parents must be divorced or separated, have a separation agreement or have lived apart during the last six months of the year. Generally only the custodial parent may claim the dependency exemption. Custody is determined by the number of overnights slept in the home of a parent. The parent having custody for a greater portion of the year is considered the custodial parent.