{"id":351679,"date":"2016-04-04T11:02:29","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T16:02:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/family\/child-support\/child-support-and-taxes-non-custodial-parent-faqs.html"},"modified":"2023-05-29T10:10:55","modified_gmt":"2023-05-29T15:10:55","slug":"child-support-and-taxes-non-custodial-parent-faqs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support\/child-support-and-taxes-non-custodial-parent-faqs.html","title":{"rendered":"Child Support and Taxes: Custodial and Non-Custodial Parent FAQ"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\">\n        <h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">Child Support and Taxes: Custodial and Non-Custodial Parent FAQ<\/h1>\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/danielle-gilmore-esq\/\">Danielle Gilmore, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a\n                href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/melissa-bender-esq\/\">Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n                | Last updated\n        <time>\n                            May 29, 2023\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n    <div class=\"fl-callout-text article-blockquote\">\n        <p>Parents paying or receiving child support often have questions about how child support income and obligations impact their tax returns.<\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n<p>For example, child support is a major financial obligation that can impact the non-custodial parent&#8217;s taxes.&nbsp;If the non-custodial parent does not pay child support, they risk the state or federal government intercepting their tax refund <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support\/enforcement-of-child-support-faq-s.html\">to cover what they owe<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This article answers frequently asked questions about how child support payments can impact Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax filings for custodial and&nbsp;non-custodial parents.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#Income\">How does income affect&nbsp;child support orders?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Support\">Does the IRS consider child support to be income?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#8332\">Does Form 8332 affect the Child Tax Credit?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Claim\">Who can claim a child on taxes with 50\/50 custody?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#EIC\">If the noncustodial parent gets permission from the custodial parent to claim a child on their tax return, is the noncustodial parent eligible for the Earned Income Credit?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Spousal\">Does the IRS consider&nbsp;spousal support&nbsp;to be income?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Intercept\">Can the court intercept your state and federal tax refunds to cover past due child support or missed child support payments?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Advice\">Get legal advice about child support and taxes questions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>See FindLaw\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support.html\">Child Support Law<\/a> section for more information on child support and finances.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"Income\"><\/a>Q: How does income affect child support orders?<\/h2>\n<p>A: The judge follows specific state&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support\/state-specific-child-support-information-and-guidelines.html\">child support guidelines<\/a>&nbsp;when they set a child support order. The state bases the guidelines on the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support\/child-support-determining-parents-income.html\">parents&#8217; income<\/a>. A child support affidavit provides information about a parent&#8217;s income.<\/p>\n<p>&quot;Income&quot; means more than wages and salary. For example, the income of a new spouse is &quot;income&quot; for child support purposes. This is how the judge determines the amount of child support. Child support may be mostly based on parental income, but it can be hard to collect from parents who ignore the order.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes the custodial parent receives <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support\/state-public-assistance-welfare-information.html\">public assistance<\/a>, like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), child care assistance, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"Support\"><\/a>Q: Does the IRS consider child support taxable income?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n<p>A: There is a relationship between child support and taxes. However, the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/faqs\/interest-dividends-other-types-of-income\/alimony-child-support-court-awards-damages\/alimony-child-support-court-awards-damages-1#:~:text=Child%20support%20payments%20are%20neither,include%20child%20support%20payments%20received.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS<\/a>&nbsp;<i>doesn&#8217;t<\/i>&nbsp;consider child support payments as income. When you calculate your gross income, do not include the support payments that you receive. It is not taxable income.<\/p>\n<p>Child support payments are not tax deductible either. Child support is \u201ctax neutral.&quot;<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"8332\"><\/a>Q: Does Form 8332 affect the Child Tax Credit?<\/h2>\n<p>A: Yes. Certain individuals may claim a tax credit for their dependent children. Only the parent using the dependency tax exemption can claim the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/publications\/p972\/ar02.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Child Tax Credit<\/a>. You must provide the IRS with supporting documents and information, like the dependent&#8217;s social security number and birth certificate.<\/p>\n<p>A custodial parent may use&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/pub\/irs-pdf\/f8332.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Form 8332<\/a>&nbsp;\u201cRelease\/Revocation of Release of Claim to Exemption for Child by Custodial Parent\u201d to release the exemption to the non-custodial parent. In that case, the non-custodial parent would qualify for the dependency exemption and therefore the Child Tax Credit.<\/p>\n<p>Refer to the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/pub\/irs-pdf\/i1040.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instructions for Form 1040<\/a>&nbsp;or the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/pub\/irs-pdf\/i1040a.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instructions for Form 1040A<\/a>&nbsp;index for Child Tax Credit for further details about qualifications and calculations.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"Claim\"><\/a>Q: Who can claim a child on taxes with 50\/50 custody?<\/h2>\n<p>A: If there is 50\/50 split custody of the child, you may <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-custody\/joint-custody.html\">share custody<\/a>, but you can&#8217;t share the child for tax benefits. You can&#8217;t divide up your child&#8217;s tax benefits on two different tax returns. If you claim your child on your tax return and your co-parent claims your child on their return, the IRS has to determine which claim takes priority.<\/p>\n<p>The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/newsroom\/claiming-a-child-as-a-dependent-when-parents-are-divorced-separated-or-live-apart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRS<\/a>&nbsp;states that &quot;only one person may be eligible to claim the qualifying child as a dependent.&quot; The custodial parent claims the child as a qualifying dependent in most cases. There is a residency test in order for a taxpayer to claim a child as a qualifying dependent.<\/p>\n<p>The test requires that the minor child live with the parent for a certain amount of time. It is for more than half of the year. The custodial parent is the one who has primary <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-custody\/physical-custody.html\">physical custody<\/a> during the year.<\/p>\n<p>If you share custody 50\/50, the custodial parent is the parent with physical custody of the child for more days and nights during the year. But what if the time is exactly equal? If this occurs, then the parent with the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support\/child-support-and-finances.html\"> higher adjusted gross income<\/a> is the custodial parent. The IRS gives that parent priority to claim the child.<\/p>\n<p>This means that the parent with the IRS priority right can change every year. Due to this situation, some parents alternate years. For example, you could claim the child for even years. Your co-parent could claim the child for odd years.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"EIC\"><\/a>Q: If&nbsp;the non-custodial parent gets permission from the custodial parent to claim a child on their tax return, is the non-custodial parent eligible for the earned income credit?<\/h2>\n<p>A: Probably not. The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/publications\/p596\/ar01.html#en_US_2013_publink1000297315\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Earned Income Credit (EIC)<\/a>&nbsp;is a tax credit for people who work and earn income below a certain amount. There are particular rules a person must meet to be eligible for an EIC.<\/p>\n<p>Some parents may be able to receive an EIC if they have a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/credits-deductions\/individuals\/earned-income-tax-credit\/qualifying-child-rules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">qualifying child<\/a>. Generally, non-custodial parents cannot claim the EIC on the basis of their children because the children do not live with that parent and consequently do not meet the residency test. If the custodial parent meets other requirements, they may be able to claim the EIC.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"Spousal\"><\/a>Q: Does the IRS count spousal support as income?<\/h2>\n<p>A: Not anymore\u2014the law&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/spousal-support-alimony-tax-rules-gop-tax-law-2019-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">changed in 2019.<\/a>&nbsp;But, check with your state for information on state tax returns. Some states consider this income for tax purposes.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes a parent receives <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/spousal-support-alimony-basics.html\">spousal support<\/a> along with child support in a divorce. If you receive spousal support, do&nbsp;<i>not&nbsp;<\/i>report your payments as income on federal income taxes. The IRS does not consider spousal income or alimony as income.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"Intercept\"><\/a>Q: Can&nbsp;the court intercept your state and federal tax refunds to cover past due child support or missed child support payments?<\/h2>\n<p>A: Yes. Federal law allows the state to take money from you for child support debt. This includes intercepting your state and federal tax refunds. A tax intercept (or tax refund offset) is a payment that is intercepted by the child support services agency to pay for current child support. Or it is used to pay for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support\/enforcement-of-child-support-faq-s.html\">past due child support<\/a> (arrears) if you owe.<\/p>\n<p>When the family law judge makes a court order for support, the parents must follow the order. If you don&#8217;t meet your child support obligation, the court finds you are in &quot;contempt of court.&quot; The court can add up your missed payments. And classify them as &quot;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support\/enforcement-and-collection-of-back-child-support.html\">child support arrears<\/a>.&quot;<\/p>\n<p>When this occurs, the custodial parent can attempt to recover the missed payments. They can get help from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support\/state-public-assistance-welfare-information.html\">state\u2019s child support agency<\/a> or state disbursement programs. The child support enforcement services section at your area\u2019s child support program can assist with this.<\/p>\n<p>You can give the caseworker your case information. If the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support\/child-support-enforcement-options.html\">court gets involved<\/a> with your child support case, the judge might order you to go to a court hearing. At the hearing, the paying parent should explain why they haven&#8217;t kept up with their payments.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to tax interceptions, the court may use other enforcement actions, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Income withholding\/withholding order<\/li>\n<li>Loss of driver&#8217;s license<\/li>\n<li>Professional license suspension<\/li>\n<li>Seizure of property<\/li>\n<li>Taking money from your bank account<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"Advice\"><\/a>Get Legal Advice about Child Support and Taxes Questions<\/h2>\n<p>Whenever taxes and child support mix, it is usually a complicated situation\u2014whether you&#8217;re a custodial or non-custodial parent. If there&#8217;s a large sum of money involved, you&#8217;re almost certainly better off speaking with a professional.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re unsure where to begin or are looking to hire legal counsel, a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/family-law\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">family law attorney<\/a>&nbsp;near you can help. They can give you additional information about these issues and advise on next steps.<\/p>\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">Yes<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-up\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_604_3418)\">\n                        <path 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class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why was this not helpful?<\/legend>\n                    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message\" role=\"status\">\n                        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message-text\"><\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Missing Information\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                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     class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__form-buttons-container\">\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--positive at-feedback-submit fl-button secondary\"\n                    type=\"submit\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Submit<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--cancel fl-button primary disabled\"\n                    type=\"reset\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Cancel<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-times-circle medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message\" role=\"status\">\n        <i class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-icon fa fa-check\"><\/i>\n        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-text\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-section-sidebar\">\n        <div class=\"fl-editors-summary\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content\">\n                    <h2>Can I Solve This on My Own or Do I Need an Attorney?<\/h2>\n                <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\">\n            \n        <\/div>\n        <ul class=\"fl-list-style-none\">\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    Some states allow you to set up child support with forms and court processes\n\n                <\/li>\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    You may need legal 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Many attorneys offer free consultations.<\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n                            <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link fl-flex\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link\">\n                <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <p class=\"find-attorney\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/child-support\/#USER_GEO\/?fli=esum:FL24\" title=\"Family Law Attorney Directory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Find a local attorney<\/a><\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"email-subscription fl-mb30\">\n    <div class=\"email-subscription-header\">\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-content\">\n            <h3 class=\"fl-callout-sm fl-no-margin\">Stay Up-to-Date With How the Law Affects Your Life<\/h3>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-image fl-flex fl-items-end\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\"\n                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             <div class=\"fl-image-card__content\">\n            <div class=\"action-card-layout\">\n                <h2 class=\"action-card-layout__heading\">\n                    Don&#8217;t Forget About Estate Planning\n                <\/h2>\n                <div class=\"action-card-layout__content fl-text-lg\">\n                    <p>Once new child support arrangements are in place, it\u2019s an ideal time to create or change your&nbsp;<a title=\"DIY Forms\" href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/forms\/estate-planning.html\">estate planning forms<\/a>. Take the time to add new beneficiaries to your will and name a guardian for any minor children. Consider creating a financial power of attorney so your agent can pay bills and make sure your children are provided for. A health care directive explains your health care decisions and takes the decision-making burden off your children when they become adults.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/forms\/estate-planning.html\" class=\"action-card-layout__button fl-button fl-link-button secondary\">\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Start Planning<\/span>\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FindLaw answers common questions on child support and taxes for parents. Learn about how the IRS treats child support income, tax intercepts, and more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41135,"featured_media":0,"parent":351672,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"app\/Http\/Controllers\/Templates\/ArticleWithBreadcrumbsController.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_autodraft_ids":[],"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_show_comment_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","_is_real_time_mode":false,"_realtime_collaborators":"","footnotes":"","cf_checklist_status":[]},"categories":[2730],"tags":[],"state_laws_tags":[],"flmsa":[],"class_list":["post-351679","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-family"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/351679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41135"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=351679"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/351679\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/351672"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=351679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=351679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=351679"},{"taxonomy":"state_laws_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/state_laws_tags?post=351679"},{"taxonomy":"flmsa","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/flmsa?post=351679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}