Can a Single Parent Paying Child Support for Kids Not Living in Household

[infoseeker]

If a Single parent pays child support for kids not living in household and claims them as dependents on the tax return do you add them to the household? For ex if a single parent who lives alone has 3 kids living with the mother but he pays child support on them does that mean he can put down a household of 4 even though the kids doe not live with him?

 

[AllenChicago]

If a Single parent pays child support for kids not living in household and claims them as dependents on the tax return do you add them to the household? For ex if a single parent who lives alone has 3 kids living with the mother but he pays child support on them does that mean he can put down a household of 4 even though the kids doe not live with him?

Yep. If they're on his tax return, they are in his subsidy household. That's how I treat that question. Conversely, if the Mom were completing an application, the children are not part of her household, because they are not listed on her tax return.

Where government is involved, one term (i.e. "household") can have multiple meanings, depending on what government program you're referring to.