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The income must be "qualifying" income. Typically only earned income (e.g. wages), unemployment and retirement income are qualifying income. Interest, dividends, capital gains and rental income do not count. (the latest instructions {2019-2025, maybe earlier] say everything is qualifying except those 4 items) From the instructions: To qualify for this credit, you and your spouse must each have at least $500 of qualifying income and jointly file your return. "Qualifying income" is any amount included in Ohio adjusted gross income, other than the following: ●Interest; ●Dividends and distributions; ●Capital gains; AND ●Rents and royalties

Is it Social Security disability?   When you file a joint return all of the income for both spouses must be entered.  Your spouse's income might be causing some of your SS to become taxable.  But if you file married filing separately, 85% of SS automatically becomes taxable.     TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY   Up to 85% of your Social Security benefits can be taxable on your federal tax return.  There is no age limit for having to pay taxes on Social Security benefits if you have other sources of income along with the SS benefits.  When you have other income such as earnings from continuing to work, investment income, pensions, etc. up to 85% of your SS can be taxable.     What confuses people about this is that before you reach full retirement age, if you continue working while drawing SS, your benefits can be reduced if you earn over a certain limit. (For 2021 it was  $18,960.  For 2022 it was  $19,560  —  for 2023 $21,240)  For 2024, $22,320.  For 2025 it will be $23,400; 2026   $24,480   After full retirement age, no matter how much you continue to earn, your benefits are not reduced by your earnings; your employer will still have to withhold for Social Security and Medicare.  If you work as an independent contractor then you will pay self-employment tax for Social Security and Medicare.   To see how much of your Social Security was taxable, look at lines 6a and 6b of your 2024 Form 1040   https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/are-my-social-security-or-railroad-retirement-tier-i-benefits-taxable   You need to file a federal return if half your Social Security plus your other income is   Single or Head of Household      $25,000 Married Filing Jointly                  $32,000 Married Filing Separately            $0   Some additional information:  There are 9 states that tax Social Security—Colorado, Connecticut,, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont  and West Virginia These states offer varying degrees of income exemptions, but two mirror the federal tax schedule: MN and VT.    

Maybe you are waiting for some forms.  Click Review to see if you are missing some forms needed in order to e-file.   Many federal and state forms are not yet available.  Check here for form availability. The dates are subject to change.   Tax form availability tool     Be patient.    IF you e-file now, your return will go into “pending” until the IRS starts to accept/reject returns in late January. You cannot make any changes while the return is on the server. The IRS will start to accept/reject 2025 e-files on January 26.   And….a state return cannot be accepted until after the IRS accepts your federal return.

Maybe you are waiting for some forms.  Click Review to see if you are missing some forms needed in order to e-file.   Many federal and state forms are not yet available.  Check here for form availability. The dates are subject to change.   Tax form availability tool     Be patient.    IF you e-file now, your return will go into “pending” until the IRS starts to accept/reject returns in late January. You cannot make any changes while the return is on the server. The IRS will start to accept/reject 2025 e-files on January 26.   And….a state return cannot be accepted until after the IRS accepts your federal return.

Did one of them turn 17?   If someone turned 17, you get $2200 for one who is under 17 and the $500 credit for other dependents for the other one. https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/does-my-childdependent-qualify-for-the-child-tax-credit-or-the-credit-for-other-dependents  

What exactly does your account say?   If it doesn’t say ACCEPTED then the IRS didn’t get it.   You might have needed to mail it.   If you efiled, In the PDF of your TurboTax return, the last page of the federal return should be an "electronic postmark" that shows your name, Social Security number, the date and time that you e-filed the return, and the date that the IRS accepted it.   When you efile you get back 2 emails.  The first email only confirms the transmission.  The second email says if the IRS (or state) Accepted or Rejected your efile.  And check your spam folder for them.  

Yes, choose Filing Separately.  You can leave out your Spouse/Children's info.   If you received a W-2 form, your 401K contributions will show in Box 12, with a Code D.  When you enter your W-2 in TurboTax, the program automatically calculates a deduction for you.   Give your correct mailing address in the Personal Info section to receive a check by mail.  You can elect Direct Deposit in the FILE section and give your bank routing/account numbers if you have a US bank account.  You also need a US credit/debit card to pay for your return, unless you choose 'Pay from Refund'.    Here's more info on Efiling With Foreign Address.   @owkhalaf 

2025 STANDARD DEDUCTION AMOUNTS SINGLE $15,750  (65 or older/legally blind + $2000) MARRIED FILING SEPARATELY $15,750  (65 or older/legally blind +1600) MARRIED FILING JOINTLY $31,500  (65 or older/legally blind + $1600) HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD $23,625 (65 or older/legally blind + $2000)     For 2025 through 2028 there is an extra  deduction amount of up to $6000 per individual 65 or older filing Single, MFJ, or HOH which is phased out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income over $75,000 for single filers and $150,000 for joint filers.   The $6,000 senior deduction will be calculated on 1040 Schedule 1-A page 2 Part V Enhanced Deduction for Seniors which goes to 1040 line 13b. It is separate and in addition to the Standard Deduction or your Itemized Deductions on 1040 line 12e.  Turbo Tax automatically includes it. IRS Schedule 1-A https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-dft/f1040s1a--dft.pdf

Thanks  for pointing me to that worksheet.  I now see where the no tax is coming in...but I still don't understand that worksheet...  I will look at it tomorrow...  I think I might need something stronger that a beer...   It would have been nice to have some type of reference on Form 1040 after line 15 showing a subtraction....   I guess it is true...  2 + 2 = what ever you want it to equal