We cannot see your tax return. The child tax credit is $2000; the "refundable" part of the CTC called the additional child tax credit is $1700. If you removed a dependent, there may have been other child-related credits that were affected--like earned income credit or the childcare credit. And if you are not claiming a dependent, then your filing status may have changed from Head of Household to Single, which would make more of your income taxable.