SandraH003
Expert Alumni

Deductions & credits

The Advanced Child Tax Credit is new for this year so a lot of people are asking questions.  IRS has tried to provide responses for some of the questions. Here is a link to some Frequently Asked Questions provided by IRS.  Look at question 3. 

https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-t...

IRS will use the information on your 2020 tax return to calculate the amount of Advanced Child Tax Credit you may qualify for.  Therefore, if your fiancée  claimed a child on her 2020 tax return, she will receive the payment in July through Dec, 2021.  But if the other parent is claiming the child on his 2021 tax return, he will be eligible for the Child Tax Credit and receive the credit when he files his 2021 tax return.  If your fiancée is not claiming the child on her 2021 tax return, she will not be eligible to get the Child Tax Credit, and will be required to pay back to IRS any Advance payments she received, when she files her 2021 tax return.   If this is the case, she may wish to OPT out of receiving the Advance Child Tax Credit payments. Look at question 4 on the above link.

 

You should receive the payments for the child that you claimed on your 2020 tax return if you will also claim that child on your 2021 tax return.

 

Please note that the payments are an Advance to a credit that you would normally take on your tax return.  If you don't receive the Advance payments, you will get the credit on your 2021 tax return.

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Have a nice day, Sandra H.