Government Red Tape

I received a letter from our Canadian equivalent to the IRS. The purpose was to verify my claim of a child as a dependant & that I have sole custody. Fair enough, audits happen all the time & this isn’t exactly an audit so I’m lucky, right?

Just a small problem…here is the documentation requested to prove my claim:

·         Schedule 5, Amounts for Spouse or Common Law Partner

·         Documents to confirm I have custody such as a court order or written agreement which must be signed by both parents…

·         In the absence of that they will accept a signed statement from the other parent detailing the custody agreement

·         OR a signed statement from an authority who is aware of the custody arrangement…Doctor, religious leader or recognized community official, etc…

 

I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that the Canadian Government wouldn’t even consider that I had my child on my own. I felt like pointing them towards my 2010 Tax Return in which I claimed all my medical expenses that weren’t covered by insurance for my IUIs.

It all worked out in the end. I called their info line, explained my situation & was advised to write a letter to them explaining it all plus provide a letter from a third party who could verify my statement. One of my bosses was amendable to writing a letter since he was aware of my situation...but that was an awkward request. He was gracious about it…though the first draft of his letter needed some work:

Dear Feds,

Elena got no baby daddy.

Sincerely,

Tara’s Boss

When I first received the letter, I imagined having to hire a lawyer & spend all kinds of money getting legal documents drawn up…I received another letter on Friday. They accepted my claim & closed the file. Phew! I am grateful as the tax benefits we receive do make a difference.