We have 5 children.....

[taxguykarl]

I did a return for a couple last night. The first thing I noticed was not withholding on unemployment (ouch!). As each worked a different shift, I dealt with the husband. He had an envelope of their documents and the SS card for just one of their kids. Unsurprsingly, my first run showed them owing.
The wife arrived and asked about claiming another child. I keyed in that info and informed the couple that they owed. The wife was especially incredulous. I turned the monitor towards them and showed then each line and form and she noticed only two dependents.
It was here that we hear the title: it was directed towards the husband who only brought info on one of their five. She had info on just one more. Yes, three more dependents would put them on the plus side.

[XCashier]

It honestly did not occur to them that they needed to show the records for all of the children?!

[taxguykarl]

You read this right, XC.

[drunkenwildmage]

A Cardassian family?


"There... are... *four*... Children!!"
"No,there are 5 children'

[icmedia]

If they hang around the office long enough, there may be a 6th

[Ironclad Alibi]

They're having taxguykarl doing their taxes because they can't even count, much less do math.

[dalesys]

I thought those were the neighbor's kids...
. bad daddy

[Seanette]

The fact that at least one "parent" in this family cannot remember how many children they actually have worries me. Either one parent is being VERY oblivious, or perhaps up to three of those five don't actually exist (given that they've only come up with proof of existence of two) and are fiction for scam purposes.

[mjr]

don't actually exist (given that they've only come up with proof of existence of two) and are fiction for scam purposes.

That's kinda what I'm thinking.

Unless you're one of those celebrities/athletes/people who "gets around" and sleeps with a lot of people, how do you NOT know how many kids you have?

[Seanette]

Well, guys can't always be sure, really. You could reasonably expect a woman to know.

[wolfie]

Either one parent is being VERY oblivious, or perhaps up to three of those five don't actually exist (given that they've only come up with proof of existence of two) and are fiction for scam purposes.

Many years back, a large number of children disappeared without a trace. Why didn't police search for them? The disappearance happened when the IRS started requiring a SSN for children claimed as dependents - and the children existed only on paper, to fraudulently claim extra dependents.

[Minflick]

That law is why, for a very brief time, my three kids had three sequential SSI numbers. The middle one had to get changed out because SSI spelled her name wrong and would not correct. Made me get her a brand new number. Poot.....

[taxguykarl]

Many years back, a large number of children disappeared without a trace.

About 7 million in 1987.

The disappearance happened when the IRS started requiring a SSN for children claimed as dependents - and the children existed only on paper, to fraudulently claim extra dependents.

Some were 'paper kids' others were the same child being claimed by both divorced parent. Snopes has a good article.

[AccountingDrone]

That law is why, for a very brief time, my three kids had three sequential SSI numbers. The middle one had to get changed out because SSI spelled her name wrong and would not correct. Made me get her a brand new number. Poot.....

My brother, now deceased sister and I were issued sequential SSNs, mine ends in [not the actual numbers] 0000, my brother 0001 and sister 0002. I was born in 1961, my brother in 59 and my sister in 57 - the deal was my Dad was rotated to Germany, and I guess part of the deal with the Army at the time was to be moved overseas to be with your servicemember spouse everybody had to have SSNs, and mom delivered me a few weeks before the move was scheduled so they applied for the numbers for all 3 of us when I was born so they got issued in reverse birth order.

[munchkinmama]

My younger brother and I have sequential ssn as well. I was born in 83 and he in 85. His is one number ahead of mine (think XX34 and XX35- not the real numbers)