I believe my taxes were done wrong and I didn't get the money for my two grandkids the 500 dollars for each children

[macuser_22]

There are two types of dependents - Qualifying Child for children under 18 (or under 24 if full-time students) that lived with you more then half the year and that credit for that up to $2,000 , and Qualifying Relative for relatives that you supported who's gross income was less than $4,200- the credit for that is $500.

Are they listed as dependent in boxes 1-4 on the first page of your 1040?

The $500 is not a refund, it is a credit against yiu tax liability.  Did you have at least $1,000 tax liability on your 1040 line 12b?

What is on line 13b - that is the child tax credit and credit  for other dependents?

[xmasbaby0]

Are you asking about the $500 credit for other dependents on your tax return, or are you asking about the $500 stimulus for a dependent child under the age of 17?

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/4499708-what-is-the-500-credit-for-other-dependents-family-tax-cre...

If your grandchildren are your dependents on your tax return and you did not receive the stimulus money for them, you can still get it on your 2020 tax return ---assuming they are under the age of 17 by the end of 2020.

[tbrown21]

The child tax credit is $2000 for your qualifying child under 17, and the other dependent credit is $500, and that is a credit for your dependents over 16. Both credits are nonrefundable credits, and you can only receive an amount up to what your taxes are. Would need more info to help you further, such as why you, and not parents are claiming children, age, income, length of time lived with you in 2019, your tax on 1040 line 12B  

[tbrown21]

@macuser_22  From IRS "

Credit for Other Dependents

This credit is available to taxpayers with dependents for whom they cannot claim the Child Tax Credit. These include dependent children who are age 17 or older at the end of 2019 or parents or other qualifying individuals supported by the taxpayer.

Suggest  you check pub 972. Only want to help not meaning to disrespect you. 🙂

[xmasbaby0]

@tbrown21 Actually, up to $1400 of the child tax credit is a refundable credit called the additional child tax credit.  It would be shown on line 18b of a 2019 Form 1040.

[macuser_22]

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@tbrown21 wrote:

@macuser_22  From IRS "

Credit for Other Dependents

This credit is available to taxpayers with dependents for whom they cannot claim the Child Tax Credit. These include dependent children who are age 17 or older at the end of 2019 or parents or other qualifying individuals supported by the taxpayer.

Suggest  you check pub 972. Only want to help not meaning to disrespect you. 🙂

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That is the "Qualifying Relative" dependent credit as I indicated in my original answer.

The posters question was not clear which type of dependent they had and did not post enough information to determine what the problem is which is why I asked for additional information rather the post the long answer (below).

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---Tests To Be a Qualifying Child---
(Must pass ALL of these tests)

NOTE: If a child passes all of these tests he must say “yes” on his/her own tax return (if he/she files one) that another taxpayer CAN claim him/her as a dependent even if they DO NOT claim him/her)

1. The child must be your son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother,stepsister, or a descendant of any of them.

2. The child must be (a) under age 19 at the end of 2019, (b) under age 24 at the end of 2019 and a full-time student* for any part of 5 months of 2019, or (c) any age if permanently and totally disabled and must be younger than you (or your spouse if filing jointly).

3. The child must have lived with you for more than half of the year (There are exceptions for temporary absences such as school, illness, business, vacation, military service).

4. The child must not have provided more than half of his or her own support for the year.
See Worksheet 3-1. Worksheet for Determining Support
https://www.irs.gov/publications/p17#en_US_2019_publink1000171012

5. If the child meets the rules to be a qualifying child of more than one person, you must be the person entitled to claim the child as a qualifying child.

6. The child is not filing a joint return.

7. The child must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico

*A full-time student is a student who is enrolled for the number of hours or courses the school considers to be full-time attendance during some part of each of any 5 calendar months of the year.

See IRS Publication 17 for more information.

https://www.irs.gov/publications/p17

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---Tests to be a Qualifying Relative (& Unrelated Persons)---
(Must meet ALL of these tests to be a dependent)

1. The person cannot be your qualifying child or the qualifying child of any other taxpayer.

2. The person either must be related to you, or must live with you all year (all 365 days - There are exceptions for temporary absences such as school, illness, business, vacation, military service) as a member of your household.

3. The person's gross income for the year must be less than $4,200 (tax-exempt income, such as certain social security benefits, is not included in gross income)

4. You must provide more than half of the person's total support** for the year.

5. The person is not filing a joint return.

In any case, the person must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident alien, U.S. national, or a resident of Canada or Mexico

The above is simplified; see IRS Publication 501 for full information.
https://www.irs.gov/publications/p501#en_US_2018_publink1000220939

** Worksheet for determining support
https://www.irs.gov/publications/p501#en_US_2019_publink1000226268

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For the child tax credit of $2,000 per child.

The child must have been no older than 16 at the end of 2019.

The amount of child tax credit you can receive is limited by your taxable income (1040 line 11a)
If your taxable income is zero, then you are not eligible for any child tax credit.

However, if you do not qualify for the Child Tax Credit, and if your earned income is greater than $2,500, you might be eligible for the Additional Child Tax credit. That amount is 15% of earned income greater then $2,500 up to a maximum of $1,400.

Too high of an income will reduce or eliminate the CTC also.
Married Filing Joint - $400,000
Single, Head of Household, or Married Filing Separate-- $200,000

The child tax credit will be reported on lone 13a on the 1040 form. Additional Child tax credit on line 18b on the 1040 form.

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