Is child support something I can write off?

Q: Is child support something I can write off? —Mark, Haverhill

The following answer was provided by Barbara Damon, CPA, Edelstein & Company, LLP.

A: No, you do not get to write off child support. Depending on the amount, you and the mother should have decided and signed an agreement about the dependency exemption. Alimony is deductible and must be included in your former spouse's return.

The following answer was provided by Mark Misselbeck, CPA, Levine Katz Nannis & Solomon PC, Needham.

A: Sorry, but only those deductions specifically permitted by statute are deductible and child support payments are not among them.