A local mother is fighting to prove her son isn’t dead, claiming she can’t claim him as a dependent on her taxes because the government lists him as deceased.
According to Eboney McDaniel, the mistake should have been corrected five years ago, and the Social Security Administration and IRS are pointing fingers at each other while she simply wants the government to acknowledge her son’s existence.
“To see him deceased on paper, it’s gut-wrenching,” she said. “It’s a feeling no parent should ever feel.”
Jaxen, according to McDaniel, is loving, kind, happy, and, most importantly, alive. Despite her efforts to clear his name, she claims the federal government is failing.
“I honestly think this was my only way for somebody to help me and hear my cry,” she said.
The Elgin mother explained that it all began when her son’s father died in 2018. When she went to file for death benefits for her son, she claimed that her son was mistakenly listed as deceased rather than his father. They do not, however, share a birthday or a first or middle name.
“They only share the same last name,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel claims that after months of being ignored by the Social Security Administration, she finally received a letter that stated, in part, “Jaxen Dyson is not dead, his records have been corrected since 6/29/2019.”
But it didn’t work when it came time to claim Jaxen as a dependent on her taxes last year.
“His social security number is rejected when I file my taxes. And it is rejected because it appears as a death in the system “She stated.
McDaniel stated that her tax returns for both last year and this year were rejected. She is in desperate need of the refund money.
“My son, he has autism so I need the most support possible,” she said.
Though Social Security stated that the error had been corrected, the IRS stated that McDaniel Jaxen’s Social Security Number is still listed as deceased. According to the IRS, the error is on the Social Security side. According to Social Security, there was an error with the IRS.
“That leaves me to try to figure out where do I go? Who do I go to?” McDaniel said.
The ABC7 I-Team contacted both agencies. The Social Security Administration said, “We made phone contact with the individual, and we are assisting her to contact the IRS to resolve the issue.”
The IRS told the I-Team that it cannot discuss a specific taxpayer’s situation under federal law, but that they would forward the information to the appropriate office.
Meanwhile, McDaniel claims she can’t claim her son on her taxes because he’s still listed as deceased. But she stated that she is not giving up.
“I am his voice. I am in his person who speaks for him, so, I’m going to keep fighting,” she said.
McDaniel expressed concern about the implications for her son’s future if the problem is not resolved. Will he be able to find work? Will he be able to obtain government ID or a passport?
She stated that she is still waiting for a response from the IRS.
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