I didn't have any income for 2020, so I didn't file. I believe I would have gotten money back for the Child tax credit, however. Can I go back now?

[firstglass59-gma]

I can't claim my son this year as I have an every other year court order through paternity with his father.

[xmasbaby0]

You cannot get the child tax credit on a 2020 tax return if you did not have income from working in 2020. In order to get the child tax credit for 2020 you had to have income from working.   If you had no 2020 income from working you would not have received any CTC last year.

 You can get the child tax credit if you did not work in 2021---but ONLY for a 2021 tax return.   But you say you will not be filing for 2021.  

[LeonardS]

As @xmasbaby0 stated, you can not claim any child tax credit for 2020 as you had no income and you can only claim a child tax credit for 2021 if you had any income.

Edited [ 03/15/2022 | 10:14 am PDT]

[xmasbaby0]

@firstglass59-gma I wonder if what might be confusing you is that if you filed a 2020 return and claimed a child as a dependent, you could have received the advance child tax credit payments during the months between July and December of 2021.   Those payments were actually paid in advance for 2021 based on the tax law that changed for 2021 only.   But if you did not file a 2020 tax return, it is too late now to go back and file 2020 and expect those "advance" payments.   Sorry.   The child tax credit payments for 2021 are now based ONLY on filing a 2021 tax return to claim your child up to the age of 17.   You cannot get the credit retroactively by going back to 2020.