@hebroots "Then for some reason the tax forms changed to where I would still get the $3000 write off, but the amount to be carried over would not decrease. "
It may appear that way. -$3000 is showing on line 7 of form 1040. But because your income is so low (and no tax is calculated), the -3000 is not needed to get you to 0 tax. So, that $3000 also carries forward. This is explained above.
