If your child is cared for under a shared custody arrangement, you can easily enter this in the Taxfix app – under the “Children” category. Here's how it works.
📌 Quick & Easy
- The “Children” category appears when you indicate at the beginning that you have children.
- Since 2023, your child's tax ID is mandatory. You can find it, for example, in the letter from the Federal Central Tax Office or on the latest child benefit notification.
- You can reflect shared custody through your child’s living situation.
- The app determines based on your answers whether you might qualify as a single parent.
🚀 Your Guide
- Where do you enter child-related details in the app?
- How to indicate shared custody
- How the app checks single-parent status
- What applies to the single parent relief amount
- What applies to child support
Where do you enter child-related details in the app?
The “Children” category only appears if you’ve indicated under “About You” that you have children.
👉 Note: Since the 2023 tax year, entering your child’s tax ID is required. You'll find the input field in the “Children” category – usually right after the name entry.
You can find the tax ID in the information letter from the Federal Central Tax Office or on your most recent child benefit notice.
💡 More info about the tax ID and tax number can be found in this article: Tax ID vs. Tax Number – What's the Difference?
How to indicate shared custody
Shared custody is recorded based on your child’s living situation. Answer the following questions in the app:
- Where did your child live?
- Did your child live in Germany or abroad?
- How long did they live at each residence?
- If shared custody applied year-round, enter the period from 01/01 to 12/31.
- What were your child's addresses?
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How many households in total?
How the app checks single-parent status
The app asks whether other adults lived in the household. This is important to determine whether you are considered a single parent for tax purposes.
If you lived with other adults, you can provide more details.
👉 Important: You only need to list adult children here if they are no longer eligible for child benefit.
What applies to the single parent relief amount?
The single parent relief amount is a tax benefit for parents living alone with their child. If you received child benefit, you’re usually also entitled to this relief – for the matching period. That’s why the app asks for specific time periods.
You may also qualify for the relief if your child does not live with you permanently (e.g. for studies), as long as they are registered at your address. It doesn’t have to be their main residence.
Usually, the parent with whom the child has their main residence is entitled to the relief. A split between parents is not possible. If both parents share custody equally, they can agree who receives the benefit. If there’s no agreement, the benefit goes to the parent receiving child benefit.
What applies to child support?
As long as you receive child benefit, child support payments are not tax-deductible. Likewise, support you receive does not have to be reported as income. That’s why the app does not ask about it.
If you’re no longer entitled to child benefit, voluntary support payments may count as extraordinary expenses. This means you can deduct certain unavoidable costs if they exceed typical amounts. The child’s own income or assets may reduce the deductible amount.
⚠️ Note: This specific case cannot currently be recorded in the app. Such entries are therefore not supported.
🚀 Fill out the simple question-answer flow - we'll take care of the rest!
Still have questions?
We're here to help! Contact our support team: support@taxfix.de