Child care expenses may be on the rise, but child care tax breaks are a blessing. In order to claim these tax credits, you must obtain the tax identification number, or TIN, for your child care provider. This will help verify any documentation stating the amount paid to the provider and determine if you qualify for your tax credit under government guidelines.
Read More: Child and Dependent Care Credit Requirements and Qualifications
Contact your child care provider's accounting department or payroll department. These departments may be one and the same and will have the information you need. If the facility refuses to provide you with the company tax identification number upon request, you can still try to claim the child care tax credit, but you will have to attach a statement of due diligence detailing the steps you took to try to obtain their Social Security Number (SSN), Employer Identification Number (EIN), or TIN.
Call your state's local 800 service. Some states offer an 800 number that will give you tax identification numbers of any business. Just have the facility address, name and child care director's name handy. To find your local 800 number, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 or visit the website of your state's Department of Public Health.
Contact your local IRS office by mail or phone. Addresses and phone numbers can be obtained by visiting the IRS website and locating the state where the child care provider is registered. From here, you can navigate the locator tool to find the contact information for your local Taxpayer Assistance Center, or TAC. It can give you the provider's tax identification number.
Look over your child care receipts. Some child care facilities will have their tax IDs printed or handwritten on your weekly receipts. Also, at the end of the year, most providers will give you a copy of your yearly child care payments, and this will also contain the provider's tax ID number. According to the IRS, for child care providers without a Federal Employment Identification Number (FEIN), use their SSN instead. This will likely be the case with individual child care providers who are not part of a child care facility.
Read More: Child Tax Credit: What It Is and How to Qualify
