@angelicadewitt It is difficult to sort out what your question is in the long narrative you posted, and it would also be difficult to sort out what you perceive as the things that were not "your fault" as opposed to the choices you made. However, if your child did not have a SSN when you filed your tax return, you are not eligible to get the child tax credit or stimulus money for that child. You do not mention whether you filed tax returns for any of those years or whether you claimed your other children, or if you had income from working during those years. The refundable child-related credits like additional child tax credit and earned income credit are based on having income from working. And....the children you claim in order to get those credits must have SSN's. It sounds like you did not obtain a SSN for your child until 2022, which would make it too late for you to get refundable child-related credits for that child for the prior years.
Although the child born in 2018 did not have a SSN until 2022 (correct?) you mention other children---but do not mention their ages. Are they older? Younger? Did you file tax returns and claim them for the tax years in which you may have been eligible to receive stimulus checks or other child-related credits? Or---were you not the custodial parent of those other children?
If you filed incorrectly for 2021 or any subsequent year, you could still amend those returns. It is too late to file or amend a 2020 return in order to get a refund. Any refunds for 2020 or earlier have been forfeited.
In regard to the children who *might* have been your dependents for 2021, 2022, or 2023----
Are you (were you?) the custodial parent? Do you have an agreement with the other parent to allow the other parent to claim them--due to divorce or that you live apart and share custody? Did one of you sign a Form 8332?
If there is a signed 8332 then the custodial parent retains the right to file as Head of Household, get earned income credit and the childcare credit. The non-custodial parent gets the child tax credit for children under the age of 17.
As far as the IRS is concerned, the custodial parent is the one with whom the child spent the most nights during the tax year--at least 183 nights.
Hopefully, going forward, your children all have Social Security numbers and if you are the custodial parent, you can claim them as dependents or at least get some of the child-related credits.
**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**
