No, unlike other common post-divorce payments like spousal maintenance, child support payments are not counted as taxable income, and they cannot be deducted by the spouse who pays them.
When you calculate your gross income for the IRS, you’ll simply leave out the child support payments you’ve received.
For the spouse who receives child support, this is very helpful. For the one who is paying child support, the lack of a tax break for the payments can hurt, but remember that these funds are meant to support your children.
If you were married and lived together and co-parented, the expenses related to food, clothing, gasoline, and other day-to-day components of parenting wouldn’t be a write-off either.
The attorneys at Zelenitz, Shapiro & D’Agostino can help you structure your child support obligation in the most favorable way possible.
Call us at 718-523-1111 to speak to an experienced Queens child support attorney, absolutely free.