T.C. Summary Opinion 2008-144
UNITED STATES TAX COURT
LYDIA VELAZQUEZ, Petitioner v.
COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, Respondent
Docket No. 910-07S. Filed November 17, 2008.
Lydia Velazquez, pro se.
Charles E. Buxbaum, for respondent.
THORNTON, Judge: This case was heard pursuant to the
provisions of section 7463 of the Internal Revenue Code in effect
when the petition was filed.1 Pursuant to section 7463(b), the
decision to be entered is not reviewable by any other court, and
1
All section references are to the Internal Revenue Code
for the taxable year at issue, and all Rule references are to the
Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure.
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this opinion shall not be treated as precedent for any other
case.
Respondent determined a $5,073 deficiency in petitioner’s
2005 Federal income tax.2 The issues for decision are whether
petitioner is entitled to the following: (1) Dependency
exemption deductions for two of her grandchildren; (2) head of
household filing status; (3) the child care credit; and (4) the
child tax credit.
Background
The parties have stipulated some facts, which are so found.
When she petitioned the Court, petitioner resided in New Jersey.
Petitioner’s husband is deceased. She works 10 months each
year as a “seasonal” school clerk for the Newark Board of
Education. During 2005 she earned wages of $36,605.
Throughout 2005 petitioner’s daughter, Melissa, and
Melissa’s four children--the oldest an 8-year-old and the
youngest an infant--resided with petitioner in petitioner’s
apartment. Melissa earned $13,371 in wages that year.
Two of Melissa’s children, J.Z. and M.Z.,3 were from her
marriage to Handy Z., who divorced her in 2001. Pursuant to the
2
Respondent also determined a deficiency in petitioner’s
2004 tax but has conceded that petitioner has no deficiency for
2004.
3
The Court uses initials when referring to a minor child.
See Rule 27(a)(3).
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divorce decree, during 2005 Melissa received from Handy Z.,
through the county probation office, $4,362 in child support
payments for the benefit of J.Z. and M.Z. The divorce decree
provided that Handy Z. would be permitted to claim J.Z. and M.Z.
as dependents for Federal income tax purposes. In fact, Handy Z.
claimed J.Z. and M.Z. as his dependents on his 2005 Federal
income tax return.
Petitioner, who filed her 2005 Federal income tax return as
a head of household, also claimed J.Z. and M.Z. as her dependents
and claimed the child care credit and the child tax credit.4
In the notice of deficiency respondent disallowed both of
petitioner’s claimed dependency exemption deductions, the child
care credit, and the child tax credit. Respondent determined
petitioner’s filing status to be single rather than head of
household.
Discussion
The burden of proof is on petitioner to show that she is
entitled to the claimed dependency exemption deductions and other
tax benefits at issue.5 See Rule 142(a).
4
Melissa also filed her 2005 Federal income tax return as a
head of household and claimed her other noninfant child as her
dependent. Apparently, no one claimed as a dependent Melissa’s
infant, who was born in 2005.
5
Petitioner has not claimed or shown that she meets the
requirements under sec. 7491(a) to shift the burden of proof to
respondent as to any factual issue relating to her tax liability.
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1. Dependency Exemption Deductions
A taxpayer may claim a dependency exemption deduction for a
“qualifying child”, as defined in section 152(c). Secs. 151(c),
152(a). A qualifying child includes a person who: (1) Is a
child of the taxpayer or the child’s descendant; (2) has the same
principal place of abode as the taxpayer for more than one-half
of the taxable year; (3) has not attained age 19; and (4) has not
provided over one-half of his or her own support for the calendar
year. Sec. 152(c).
Respondent does not appear to dispute that J.Z. and M.Z.
meet these four requirements to be claimed as petitioner’s
qualifying children. Rather, respondent’s primary concern seems
to be that Handy Z. also claimed J.Z. and M.Z. as dependents for
2005.
Section 152(c)(4)(A) provides a tie-breaking rule for
situations in which two or more taxpayers claim the same
individual as a qualifying child. As relevant here, this tie-
breaking rule provides that “if (but for this paragraph) an
individual may be and is claimed as a qualifying child by 2 or
more taxpayers for a taxable year beginning in the same calendar
year,” one of whom is the individual’s parent, the individual is
treated as the qualifying child of his or her parent. Id. Thus,
if Handy Z. had properly claimed J.Z. and M.Z. as his dependents,
the tie-breaking rule would preclude them from qualifying as
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petitioner’s dependents. For the reasons discussed below,
however, we conclude that Handy Z. did not properly claim M.Z.
and J.Z. as his dependents.
For purposes of defining a dependent, section 152(e)
provides a special rule whereby a divorced, noncustodial parent--
such as Handy Z.--may claim a dependency exemption deduction for
a child if certain conditions are met. One condition is that the
child’s parents must have provided over one-half of the child’s
support during the calendar year. Sec. 152(e)(1)(A). Another
condition is that the custodial parent must have executed a
written declaration releasing his or her claim to the dependency
exemption deduction and the noncustodial parent must have
attached the declaration to his or her tax return. Sec.
152(e)(2). The custodial parent may make this written
declaration on Form 8332, Release of Claim to Exemption for Child
of Divorced or Separated Parents. See Miller v. Commissioner,
114 T.C. 184, 190 (2000), affd. on other grounds sub nom. Lovejoy
v. Commissioner, 293 F.3d 1208 (10th Cir. 2002); sec. 1.152-
4T(a), Q&A-3, Temporary Income Tax Regs., 49 Fed. Reg. 34459
(Aug. 31, 1984). Form 8332 requires, among other things, that
the custodial parent sign a statement agreeing not to claim the
exemption for the child or children named on the form for the tax
years specified on the form. A written declaration that is made
other than on a Form 8332 must “conform to the substance of such
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form.” Sec. 1.152-4T(a), Q&A-3, Temporary Income Tax Regs.,
supra.
Because J.Z. and M.Z. were in Melissa’s custody and living
in petitioner’s apartment during 2005, Handy Z. could not claim
them as his dependents unless he met the requirements of section
152(e). On the basis of the record before us, we conclude that
he did not meet those requirements. In the first instance, it
does not appear that Handy Z. and Melissa provided over one-half
of J.Z.’s and M.Z.’s support.6 In any event, respondent concedes
that Handy Z. did not attach Form 8332 to his 2005 Federal income
tax return; respondent does not contend that Handy Z. attached to
his 2005 return any other written declaration that conformed to
the substance of Form 8332. Because Handy Z. was ineligible to
claim J.Z. and M.Z. as his dependents, the tie-breaking rule of
section 152(c)(4)(A) is inapplicable. We hold that petitioner is
entitled to claim J.Z. and M.Z. as her dependents for 2005.
2. Head of Household Filing Status
Section 1(b) grants a special tax rate for any individual
who qualifies as a head of household. With exceptions not
6
Handy Z. contributed $4,362 in child support for J.Z. and
M.Z., or $2,181 apiece. Melissa earned $13,371; dividing this
amount five ways for Melissa and her four children yields $2,674
apiece. Together, then, Handy Z. and Melissa contributed $4,855
toward the support of each of their children J.Z. and M.Z.
Petitioner, on the other hand, earned $36,605. Dividing this
amount six ways for petitioner, Melissa, and the four
grandchildren yields $6,101 apiece.
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relevant here, the statute generally defines a head of household
as an unmarried individual who maintains as his or her home a
household which constitutes for more than one-half of the taxable
year the principal place of abode of either a qualifying child
(as defined in section 152(c)) or a dependent of the taxpayer
with respect to whom the taxpayer is allowed a deduction under
section 151. Sec. 2(b)(1)(A). For this purpose, an individual
is considered to maintain a household only if he or she furnishes
over one-half of the cost of maintaining the household during the
taxable year. Sec. 2(b)(1).
During 2005 petitioner was unmarried. On the basis of all
the evidence in the record, we conclude that petitioner furnished
over one-half the cost of maintaining her household, which
constituted throughout 2005 the principal place of abode of J.Z.
and M.Z. Accordingly, petitioner is entitled to head of
household filing status.
3. Child Care Credit
Section 21(a) and (b)(2) generally provides for a child care
credit with respect to employment-related expenses that are paid
to enable the taxpayer to be gainfully employed, including
expenses to care for a “qualifying individual”. A qualifying
individual includes a qualifying child of the taxpayer within the
meaning of section 152(a)(1) who has not turned 13. Sec.
21(b)(1).
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As previously discussed, J.Z. and M.Z. were qualifying
children of petitioner within the meaning of section 152(a)(1).
During 2005 they had not turned 13. Petitioner has failed,
however, to substantiate expenses for household services or
expenses for the care of J.Z. or M.Z. in 2005. Accordingly,
petitioner is not entitled to the child care credit.
4. Child Tax Credit
Section 24 generally allows a tax credit for each qualifying
child (as defined under section 152(c)) who is under 17 years of
age. Sec. 24(a), (c)(1). As previously indicated, for 2005 J.Z.
and M.Z. were petitioner’s qualifying children and were under age
17. Respondent has not argued that any limitation in section
24(b) applies. We conclude that petitioner is entitled to the
child tax credit with respect to J.Z. and M.Z.
To reflect the foregoing and concessions by respondent,
Decision will be entered
under Rule 155.