When completing the Child and Dependent Care Expenses form, you are required to supply the care provider's identification number. If you are living abroad, your care provider may not have or be required to have a U.S. taxpayer identification number.

Per IRS Publication 503 Child and Dependent Care Expenses, on page 9:

U.S. citizens and resident aliens living abroad. If you are living abroad, your care provider may not have, and may not be required to get, a U.S. taxpayer identification number (for example, an SSN or an EIN). If so, enter “LAFCP” (Living Abroad Foreign Care Provider) in the space for the care provider's taxpayer identification number.

Note. This will not prevent you from e-filing your return.

To enter the Child and Dependent Care Expense information in the TaxAct program:

1. From within your TaxAct return (Online or Desktop), click Federal. On smaller devices, click in the upper left-hand corner, then click Federal.
2. Click Child and Dependent Care in the Federal Quick Q&A Topics menu, then click Yes.
3. If this is your first provider: On the screen titled We will start with your first care provider, select Person, then click Continue.
   If there are additional providers: Click + Add Form 2441 Care Provider to create a new copy of the form or click Edit to review a form already created, select Person, then click Continue.
4. On the screen titled Enter your care provider's information, enter or verify the care provider information and amount paid for daycare, check This is a foreign provider that is not required to get a U.S. identification number, then click Continue.

CAUTION! Do not enter a provider identification number!

Note that any link in the information above is updated each year automatically and will take you to the most recent version of the document at the time it is accessed.