Tax credits are carry forward and applied as they can be used, until they are gone. You apply them to the next tax year and each additional tax year to be used up as much as possible each year until gone. You can't say I only want to use $5k this year and 10K next year. A carryforward credit must be used up as early as it can be. You can't save it.
Even if you would try to save it, then want to use it next year, you would have to go back and apply it to this year by amending your return before you could take what is left next year.
The credits do not take into consideration what you paid in. The only thing that affects them is your tax liability.
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