Thanks for the help, there might be another issue with the software being half-baked:
Ok so when I changed the trial run with my filing status from married but separate to legally separated (which in NC come to find out IS legally true for me/us) the same thing basically happened, I owed $1000, but with the automatic checking function (where it checks the actual IRS forms) this time I was able to get past the entry where I put the amount of the child advancement attached to me according to the letter, $1500 and THEN it required a correction for the “number of qualified children” according to and in line 2 of the letter (sent out to each individual parent regardless of filing status and amount of children). I don’t recall a TurboTax facade question asking that before. BUT, after this correction it went back up to my original tax return of $450
