@NCperson I know how much the credit should have been, from the Turbotax-prepared return (about $4k).
I've tried calling at all times, and after I've gotten through the automatic menu, it always tells me the call volume is too high and to try another time. A year ago I would get put on hold for an hour plus but eventually get someone. I've actually wondered if the line I get sent to through the menu just isn't staffed anymore... but that's pure speculation. In any case, I'm wondering if I should file an official appeal -- unless my letter objecting to the change counts as an appeal already, but I'm not sure about that.
It's complicated because of the way that a stipend for a doctoral student is reported. The university has several options for reporting (to the student, and to the IRS). My university opted to use an 1099-MISC. But The IRS directions for me to report this income was (at least in 2020) for me to put that kind of income on line 1, with the designation "SCH" (for "scholarship," I presume). From what I could tell on the conversation I had with the IRS help line when the credit was first denied, the misunderstanding had to do with the 1099-MISC reporting. I've since changed how I report this (and finished the program). But I'd like to get that EITC credit I had coming... Stipend income does count as "earned income"... And, I also had some straight W-4 income, on top of that. But they just totally removed the EITC, for reasons beyond me.
