I didn’t receive all my child credits. None of the reasons listed in the letter from the IRS apply to me. How should I get it corrected?

[gregorybutlervg3]

I double checked all four of my kids’ information on my return and it’s all correct and it is the same from last year. Also, our combined income was below the threshold. I’ve been calling the IRS once a week since March and can’t get through. My local IRS office doesn’t even answer the phone. Should I resend my return with copies of my kids’ birth certificates?

[VolvoGirl]

Is it for the 3rd Stimulus payment or the Child Tax Credit?  What letter number is it?  Does it list like 5 reasons?  Those are just generic reasons.  That sounds like the Recovery Rebate Credit on line 30.  How much is missing?

The 2 most common reasons this year is you entered the wrong amount on line 30 for the Recovery Rebate Credit (3rd Stimulus payment) or line 28 for the Child Tax Credit.  Those lines are just if you didn't already get the full amount or qualify for more.  The IRS knows what they already sent you.  

The Advance Child Tax Credit payments should have been $300 per month (July-Dec) for each child under the age of 6 plus $250 per month for each child age 6-17 (based on the children listed on your 2020 tax return, but using their ages as of 12/31/21).

A lot of people answered the questions wrong and tried to claim the credits again.  Double check your bank statements and Check your IRS account (both accounts if married)

Your Online Account | Internal Revenue Service

[NCperson]

@gregorybutlervg3 - please do me a favor and we may be able to solve this quickly 

1) what is on line 14f of Schedule 8812.  This is what you told Turbo Tax you received for the Advance CHild Tax Credit.

2) Review your bank account statements from July - Dec, 2021. DO NOT DO THIS FROM MEMORY.  Literally open each of the 6 bank accounts and determine how much the IRS direct deposited into your bank account over the 6 months.  

if 1) and 2) do not match, the IRS adjusted Line 28 for the difference.  Both 1) and 2) represent what you received and 2) matches the IRS records - because they are the ones that made the deposit! 

3) EXACTLY how much did the IRS adjust your refund / amount due?  Is it the difference calculated above?   

if that doesn't resolve the issue, please post back the asnwers to each of the 3 questions and I suspect we can further figure it out without contacting the IRS.

[fanfare]

If you want to dispute the IRS finding, you must say so in writing within 60 days.

@gregorybutlervg3 

[gregorybutlervg3]

Hi. I opted out of receiving the monthly payments because I wanted to get the full refund when I did my taxes. We did not receive any monthly payments throughout the year. 

[NCperson]

@gregorybutlervg3 understood that you opted out of the advance credits, but just to be sure the tax return itself was correct

1) confirm that Line 14f of Schedule 8812 is zero

2) what is on Line 28 of Form 1040?  it should be $3000 times the number of children ages 6-17 and $3600 times the number of children under 6. 

3) were you eligible for EITC (Line 27a is greater than zero)? 

4) were you denied EITC in the last 10 years? 

5) what was the EXACT amount of the IRS adjustment? 

The reason I am asking 3) and 4) is that another poster was denied EITC in the last 10 years and the IRS adjusted his refund for BOTH EITC and CTC in 2021.  I just want to eliminate that as a potential here. 

[DoninGA]

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@gregorybutlervg3 wrote:

Hi. I opted out of receiving the monthly payments because I wanted to get the full refund when I did my taxes. We did not receive any monthly payments throughout the year. 

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Ok...What were the ages of your children in 2021?  What is the amount the Child Tax Credit on your federal tax return, Form 1040 Line 28?

[gregorybutlervg3]

Hi @NCperson 

1.we received $0 for the advanced child credit. 

2. There were no deposits from the IRS July, 2021 - Dec 2021. 
3. I was supposed to receive 13,175and we received $8975. So a difference of $4,200. 

[VolvoGirl]

4,200?  That sounds like the Recovery Rebate Credit on line 30 not the Child Credit.  Do you have 4200 on line 30?  The 3rd Stimulus was 1400 per person.  6 people x  1400 = 8400.  Did you get 8400 last year starting in March 2021?   They sent out  letter 6475 telling you how much they sent you.  They sent a letter to EACH SPOUSE for half.   I think you only entered one letter for 4200 and the other half showed up as missing on line 30.  Line 30 is only if you didn't get the full amount or qualify for more.

Double check your bank statements and check your IRS account (both accounts if married) to see what they sent you.
https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account

[NCperson]

@gregorybutlervg3 WAIT - if you are stating that your tax refund was adjusted by $4200 that is likely the Recovery Rebate Credit and not the Child Tax Credit. 

Here is what most likely occured. I've seen a lot of posts like this with the same result.

1) for the stimulus, you were eligible for $1400 times the number of people in your family or $8400

2) during the Turbo Tax interview you were asked to enter how much you received and were also prompted to look at Letter 6475.  I suspect you have that letter and it states $4200.  BUT THERE WERE TWO LETTERS. One for each spouse and each letter noted $4200, which were to be added together!!!!!

3) So I suspect you entered $4200 as the amount received

4) the result was $8400 less the $4200 entered meant $4200 was posted on Line 30.

5) But the IRS records are that they sent you $8400, so they adjusted Line 30 to zero which reduced your refund by the same $4200

6) please check you bank account statement from last March - May, 2021 and confirm you received $8400.  If yes, then the IRS adjustment is correct. 

does this make sense?