# Single fathers allowance?



## Barryoc (4 Jul 2005)

Hi all,

Hope I have the correct forum. I am a single father of a 5 years old and I have just been told that I may be entitled to a tax relief? Can anybody shed some light on this and the possible requirements? 

Thanks for any help.


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## elcato (4 Jul 2005)

You should be getting a single parent tax credit of 1580 as stated in the revenue website . Is this what you mean ?


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## mo3art (4 Jul 2005)

You are entitled to a lone parents tax credit (not allowance).
It is allocated to you providing you can prove that you have your child wholly in your care for at least one overnight (in the case of a non-custodial parent) per year.  There is a form that has to be filled out and normally signed by the custodial parent to this regard.

This tax credit is NOT available to those single parents who are co-habiting, whether it is with the child's parent or not.  For example your child is in the custody of their mother, but you are cohabiting with a girlfriend then you are ineligible to claim.  Likewise if the child's custodian is cohabiting with a boyfriend/girlfriend then they are ineligible.

The tax credit can be claimed from the date of birth and can be claimed retrospectively.

HTH


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## Ham Slicer (6 Jul 2005)

mo3art said:
			
		

> There is a form that has to be filled out and normally signed by the custodial parent to this regard.



Form OP1
[broken link removed]


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## lucylou (2 Mar 2006)

The form doesn't have to be signed by the custodial parent AFAIK, my boyf did it last year for his 7 year old. He just filled out a form and sent it off. you do need the child's pps number, which you can get by ringing the social welfare. My boyf claimed for the last seven years and got  a considerable amount of money back!! We actually thought it pretty strange the way you don't have to get the  other parent to sign, for example in my situation, I have a three year old whose father doesn't want to know him. As said previously you can only claim this lone parent tax credit if the child stays overnight at least once in the tax year. Meaning that his biological father can send off this form even though he doesnt see him at all and the tax office just pay out this tax credit (backdated). they don't check with the mother if the child actually is involved with the father. Just seems very unfair. Another way the tax system is screwed up.


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## lab-rat (7 Mar 2006)

lucylou said:
			
		

> The form doesn't have to be signed by the custodial parent AFAIK, my boyf did it last year for his 7 year old. He just filled out a form and sent it off. you do need the child's pps number, which you can get by ringing the social welfare. My boyf claimed for the last seven years and got a considerable amount of money back!! We actually thought it pretty strange the way you don't have to get the other parent to sign, for example in my situation, I have a three year old whose father doesn't want to know him. As said previously you can only claim this lone parent tax credit if the child stays overnight at least once in the tax year. Meaning that his biological father can send off this form even though he doesnt see him at all and the tax office just pay out this tax credit (backdated). they don't check with the mother if the child actually is involved with the father. Just seems very unfair. Another way the tax system is screwed up.


Hi There,
Is it possible to get a fathers lone parent allowance stopped? We have recently found out that my friends ex was abusive to her and her child. They are no longer a couple (thank God). He has history of physical and mental abuse  to his previous girlfriend and has been found guilty in the courts. So I guess my question is, if a barring order is taken out on a father, can his parent allowance be stopped! I do not think the state should give him money to help with the cost of a child when he is barred from seeing that child.


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## lucylou (7 Mar 2006)

hi lab-rat
Thats exactly what i mean about the system being screwed up!! When you say "payment" its not actually a direct payment to you but  a tax credit. If its backdated then it will be paid out to you in a  cheque. So i think the only way you could get it stopped is to ring the tax office and in effect "shop him". He is (if he is actually claiming this credit) fraudulently claiming this credit so the tax office will deal with him.


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## tui0hcg (7 Mar 2006)

In regard to OP1 form and claiming the allowance, I am a single father of a seven year old and to the best of my knowledge I have never claimed for this allowance, I say that by way of the fact that companies I have worked for always had accountants to do tax issues for me. If I wish to claim for the allowance can I claim for all seven years - I only see enough space for one year on the form on revenue website. Also how would I know if this allowance has been claimed for in previous years?


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## Icarus (7 Mar 2006)

tui0hcg said:
			
		

> In regard to OP1 form and claiming the allowance, I am a single father of a seven year old and to the best of my knowledge I have never claimed for this allowance, I say that by way of the fact that companies I have worked for always had accountants to do tax issues for me. If I wish to claim for the allowance can I claim for all seven years - I only see enough space for one year on the form on revenue website. Also how would I know if this allowance has been claimed for in previous years?


I am a single dad and I went through this. I just rang the revenue office, tracked down the right person who could answer my questions and they were extremely helpful. They told me what I was owed (several years worth) and exactly how to get it. I can't remember the names of the forms but the whole thing was pretty straight forward.


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## lucylou (8 Mar 2006)

You would know if it had been claimed for you as your payslip would have indicated a higher tax credit. Normally accountants in companies don't do this for you , you have to claim it yourself. As regards the form, you have to fill i n a seperate one for each year you are claiming.they will then pay out what is due to you for teh last seven years and then you fill one in for this year, they will adjust your tax credits accordingly.


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## xeresod (8 Mar 2006)

lucylou said:
			
		

> they will then pay out what is due to you for teh last seven years and then you fill one in for this year, they will adjust your tax credits accordingly.


 
This is incorrect, you can only claim back for 4 years unfortunatley.


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## lucylou (8 Mar 2006)

Sorry!


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## tui0hcg (14 Mar 2006)

folks can anyone tell me if i apply for a tax refund through the revenue as in some info posted in http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054891655 will this include the single fathers allowance or do I need to apply for this on its own, in other words will the revenue know about this or should I include as much info as possible in any correspondence email sent to them.


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## xeresod (15 Mar 2006)

tui0hcg said:
			
		

> folks can anyone tell me if i apply for a tax refund through the revenue as in some info posted in http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054891655 will this include the single fathers allowance or do I need to apply for this on its own, in other words will the revenue know about this or should I include as much info as possible in any correspondence email sent to them.


 
Of course you need to tell Revenue, how else are they going to know you are entitled to it if you don't claim for it.
Two of the conditions for the One Parent Family Credit is 
      1. The child must reside with you for at least one night per year
      2. You must not be living with anybody as husband/wife wether married or not
If you are sending an email as per the post above, make sure you confirm that you have the child overnight and that you are not living with any girlfriend/wife as usually to claim the OPFC you must sign a declaration regarding those points. Also, give the childs name, date of birth and school they are attending. Although, even giving all the required information in the email, Revenue still may send out the claim form for you to fill in anyway.


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## paulkeano (7 Apr 2006)

Hello All,

please excuse this rather dumb question but I would just like clarification. I am on tax rate of 40% (not sure of exact figure). I believe I am entitled to this tax credit. Can someone just explain to me, if I am claiming back for 2005, will I be entitled to a payment of £1580 or am I entitled to 40% of the £1580 (tax credit for 2005)

Thanks,
PK.


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## xeresod (7 Apr 2006)

paulkeano said:
			
		

> I am on tax rate of 40% (not sure of exact figure). I believe I am entitled to this tax credit. Can someone just explain to me, if I am claiming back for 2005, will I be entitled to a payment of £1580 or am I entitled to 40% of the £1580.


 
It is a tax credit so you will get the €1580. You are entitled to it if you have a child that stays with you for a least one night per year and you are not living with a girlfriend/wife. If the child is old enough you claim back as far as 2002 (obviously assuming you meet the above conditions for each year), just complete the form OP1 [broken link removed] for each year, including for 2006 to get it for this year and return them to your normal tax office.

And just for info, the higher tax rate is 42%.


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## ClubMan (7 Apr 2006)

xeresod said:
			
		

> And just for info, the higher tax rate is 42%.


Assuming that the poster is not on the [broken link removed] of 40%.


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