Child tax credit doesn't seem to be applying.

[soylant1]

Child tax credit shows I should be getting the 8000 credit. I have 4 kids and get 2000 per kid with my income bracket but it doesn't seem to actually apply to my return. I compare this to last year with out this credit my taxes went up since the changes in deductions. The summary shows I should get it but doesn't actually seem to do anything

[Texas Roger · Accepted solution]

Have you entered all your income? The child tax credit is a non refundable credit meaning you must have $8000 of tax liability from taxable income after subtracting the standard or itemized deductions in order to get it. If you don't have enough income to have an $8000 tax liability, the amount of child tax credit will be limited.

There is an "additional child tax credit" that you can get even if you don't have enough tax liability to get the child tax credit but it is only up to $1400. 

[Texas Roger]

See this FAQ: <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900923-what-is-the-child-tax-credit">https://ttlc.intuit.com/ques...>

[soylant1]

Yes I have entered my income. I have more than enough income and tax liability to cover the 8000. I would assume this credit would apply to what I have already payed for 2018. This was over 30k in taxes paid.

[soylant1]

Also thanks for responding

[soylant1]

I could have just expecint this tax break to actually help but looks like it did nothing for me and I now just owe more to my state. I have just been going through the form view and it looks like the math is right.

[Texas Roger]

So are you getting the $8000 credit?

[soylant1]

Seems to be showing in the form view.

[soylant1]

I was just surprised the credit didn't help my taxes compared to the prior year when I didn't get much of a child tax credit.

[Texas Roger]

Did you get more take home pay during the year in 2018 than in 2017? If so, you got it during the year rather than on your tax return.

[soylant1]

Little more per month. The bottom line numbers in Turbo Tax it shows the summary that my taxes where little over 1000 less than the prior year. That wasn't much of a tax break vs income.