topic It states that I am not getting anything back and I don't know why. I am worried that my ex claimed my son. I also have student loans. Can you please assist? in Education

It states that I am not getting anything back and I don't know why. I am worried that my ex claimed my son. I also have student loans. Can you please assist?

marymeehan1 — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 14:34:52 GMT

Re: It states that I am not getting anything back and I don't know why. I am worried that my ex claimed my son. I also have student loans. Can you please assist?

xmasbaby0 — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 15:08:43 GMT

What income did you enter? Did you enter ALL of your income? Was tax withheld from your income? Did you enter your son as a dependent on your tax return?

You are posting from Free Edition--that version cannot be used to enter student loan interest you paid.

WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY? I WANT THE FREE EDITION

The information that you can enter in Free Edition is pretty limited now. Thanks to the new tax laws that began for 2018 returns, there are no more simple Form 1040EZ or 1040A's. Everything goes on a Form 1040 that has three extra "schedules" with it, and if you need any of those schedules, you are not able to use the Free Edition. Using the standard deduction instead of itemizing does NOT mean you will not need any of those schedules.

https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1040

If you qualify to use it, there is another full-featured free version of the software:

Try Free File:

You qualify if your income was $36,000 or less, or $69,000 or less if active duty military, or if you qualify for Earned Income Credit

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900583-what-is-turbotax-free-file-program

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2026912-how-do-i-switch-to-turbotax-free-file-program

If you switch to Free File you must create a new account and new user ID.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/4511011-what-happened-to-the-1040a-and-1040ez

Note: If you do not qualify to use Free File then you will have to upgrade to Deluxe or higher in the paid versions of the software.

Online Deluxe $60 State software $50

Or—-Use this IRS site for other ways to file for free

https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/

Re: It states that I am not getting anything back and I don't know why. I am worried that my ex claimed my son. I also have student loans. Can you please assist?

Hal_Al — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 16:10:03 GMT

The money you hear about people getting for just filing a tax return claiming kids requires them to have some earned income (wages or self employment). Without earned income, they are not eligible for the "refundable" Earned Income Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit. Both credits are calculated on the amount of earned income you have. No earned income means no "refund". A small amount of earned income means a small refund. The child tax credit does not "kick in" unless you have at least $2500 of earned income.

If you are a student, over age 23, and are not claimed as a dependent by someone else (e.g. your parent) you may be eligible for the up to $1000 refundable American Opportunity (tuition) Credit. That credit is not dependent on having either kids or earned income. You must be at least a half time undergraduate student and actually paid tuition (not just had it paid by grants). Tuition paid by loans counts as paid by you (since you have to pay that back, someday)

A child can be the “qualifying child” dependent of any close relative in the household. If you live with someone else, e.g. your parents, it may be better if they claim your child.

Instead, you could allow the non-custodial parent to claim the children. Non-custodial parents are allowed to claim the child tax credit, but not the Earned income credit.

"I am worried that my ex claimed my son". TurboTax (TT) would have no way of knowing that. When, you actually press the button to e-file; if you get a rejection showing the child SS# has already been used; that would be an indication that you ex has claimed the child.