I have 2 dependent children, but I'm only getting tax credit for 1. I added my son's new social security number but the tax credit remains the same as last year's

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
February 24, 2021
3 replies
37 views

The tax credit amount (613) remains the same as last year's when I only had my daughter's social security number and could claim her as a dependent. Now I have my son's number, and I've added it, but the tax credit remains the same as if I only had one dependent. Not sure what I'm missing?

TurboTax Deluxe Online

CatinaT1

Alumni - Intuit

Was your son born in 2020? For children born during the tax year, you must mark the lived with you the entire year. This is a common error that disqualifies you from the credit.

To qualify for the Child Tax Credit, your child must fit all of these requirements:

Be under age 17 at the end of the tax year
Is your son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, adopted child, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, half-brother, half-sister, or a descendant of any of them (for example, a grandchild, niece, or nephew)
Has his or her own Social Security Number
Lived with you for more than half the year
Didn't support him/herself (i.e., didn't pay more than half their own expenses)
Is a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or U.S. resident alien

Additionally, you must have tax liability for the credit to be applied to. If you do not, you may qualify for the Additional Child Tax Credit.

These links will provide more information:

Child Tax Credit

Additional Child Tax Credit

**Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post. **Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"

carmel-kleinhenzAuthor

Level 2

Thank you for this reply!

No, my son was born in 2018, but I didn't have a social security number for him until this year (we're overseas.) So last year they only counted my daughter for the tax credit. My son meets all the other requirements you listed.

I do have a tax liability -- I owe over $300 for my independent contractor income, and this is after the $613 from my daughter's tax credit is applied.

Could this be a glitch in the software?

DianeW777

Alumni - Intuit

My suggestion is to delete your son and then add him back to your return. It could be a question that has been answered incorrectly. Before doing that you should also clear your cache and cookies, as well as browsing history. This can remove any remembered entries that you have changed.

The child tax credit (CTC) along with the additional child tax credit (ACTC) may both be on your tax return. The ACTC is a refundable credit, while the CTC is allowed to reduce your tax to zero but any balance is not refundable.

Check line 28, Form 1040, to see if you have the ACTC or refundable portion listed. This may show the other portion and you should also see Form 8812 in your tax file.

By using the Tax Tools you can take a quick review of your 1040:

To find Tools:
- Sign into your TurboTax account and open or continue your return.
- Select Tax Tools in the left menu.
- You'll find Tools beneath Tax Tools.
- Select View Tax Summary
- Select Preview My 1040 (left black panel)