Head of Household, $66K, Yet No Credit Received for Kids - Please Make it Make Sense

[dani1276]

Can someone please explain how the following is possible? I’ve completed (but not submitted) my taxes with H&R and Turbo. I see $200,000 and under is the max income that  CTC single/HOH tax payers qualify for. However, I’m not receiving that or can’t seem to add it on either tax website. I have EIC & ACTC on my 2024 W2 but zero both for 2025. Am I missing where to receive or add in the CTC for 2025? Difference in 2024 income and 2025 income = $11K. Please see below for details. Thanks in advance!

2025 Income: $66K

Dependents: 2 (one under 13, one over 13)

I claim 0 / $0.00 on W4, and have nothing extra taken out of my checks

Took Standard Deduction of $23,625

Fed. Tax: $4,655

Fed. Withholding: $5,180

Fed. Refund: $525.00

~

VERSUS

~

2024 Income: $55K

Dependents: 2 (one under 13, one over 13)

I claim 0 / $0.00 on W4, and have nothing extra taken out of my checks

Took Standard Deduction of $21,900

Fed. Tax: $3,716

Fed. Withholding: $4,064
EIC plus ACTC: $366.00

Federal Refund: $4,400

[xmasbaby0]

Make sure you have entered your child as a dependent in My Info, and that you have entered the child's Social Security number.    Careful— do not say that your child’s SSN is not valid for employment.  If your child was born in 2025 make sure you said he lived with you the whole year.  There is an oddly worded question that asks if the child paid over half their own support.  Say NO to that question.

If your dependent was a full-time college student, make sure you were careful on the MY INFO screen for “Uncommon situations” and that you indicated there that they were a student.

Have you entered income from working in 2025?  If not,  you will not receive an income tax refund based on having dependent children.

  The maximum amount of the child tax credit is now $2200 per child; the refundable “additional child tax credit” amount is $1700.   In order to get that credit, you have to have income from working.  

Take the amount you earned from working.   Subtract $2500.   Multiply the rest by 15%.  That is the additional child tax credit per child that you canget—- up to the maximum of $1700 per child.   If the amount you earned from working was low, you will not get the full $1700 per child.

 If your child is older than 16 at the end of 2025, you do not get the CTC.  But you may still get the non-refundable $500 credit for other dependents instead.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/taxation/child-tax-credit/L2lNhfGDl_US_e...

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/taxation/additional-child-tax-credit/L6x...

https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/does-my-childdependent-qualify-for-the-child-tax-credit-or-the-credit-f...

And for the Earned Income Credit—-

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-credits-deductions/qualifications-ea...

https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/use-the-eitc-assistant

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p596.pdf

Look at your 2025 Form 1040 to see the child-related credits you received

PREVIEW 1040

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-return/preview-turbotax-online-retur...

Child Tax Credit line 19

Credit for Other Dependents line 19

Earned Income Credit line 27

Additional Child Tax Credit line 28

[dani1276]

Thanks for the reply @xmasbaby0.  I have entered all income, like I said I completed my taxes online with H&R and TurboTax - I just haven’t submitted them, but I can see the refund amount stated as $525. Everything is entered properly. I’ve left nothing blank and did nothing different from what you explained below. The only thing I can think of is “did the $11K increase in income truly cut out any refund I may get?”

Thoughts…?

Thank you!

[xmasbaby0]

You made too much to get earned income credit for 2025.   If both kids are under the age of 17 you should be getting child tax credit and/or additional child tax credit.

  The maximum amount of the child tax credit is now $2200 per child; the refundable “additional child tax credit” amount is $1700.   In order to get that credit, you have to have income from working.  

Take the amount you earned from working.   Subtract $2500.   Multiply the rest by 15%.  That is the additional child tax credit per child that you canget—- up to the maximum of $1700 per child.   If the amount you earned from working was low, you will not get the full $1700 per child.

 If your child is older than 16 at the end of 2025, you do not get the CTC.  But you may still get the non-refundable $500 credit for other dependents instead.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/taxation/child-tax-credit/L2lNhfGDl_US_e...

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/taxation/additional-child-tax-credit/L6x...

https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/does-my-childdependent-qualify-for-the-child-tax-credit-or-the-credit-f...

Look at your 2025 Form 1040 to see the child-related credits you received

PREVIEW 1040

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-return/preview-turbotax-online-retur...

Child Tax Credit line 19

Credit for Other Dependents line 19

Earned Income Credit line 27

Additional Child Tax Credit line 28

[xmasbaby0]

One question-----did you say in MY INFO that there is another parent with whom you have a signed form 8332?   If so, that  other parent is getting the child tax credit and you can still file HOH and get EIC (but only if eligible).  

[dani1276]

No, just me, no other person listed anywhere in my tax forms. Except me claiming my kids, who are both under 17

[xmasbaby0]

There would not be another person listed-----go back through MY INFO and see what you answered when it asked if you have any kind of agreement with another parent.   If you answered that incorrectly that is why you are not getting CTC.

[dani1276]

Ok, I will. But I’ve never had an agreement and have filed HOH, 2 dependents, with no agreement on any federal document, for 8 years. 

[dani1276]

So it seems like I’d at least get $3,400. If the deduction is $1,700 for each child under 16…

[xmasbaby0]

Correct----so you need to see if you answered incorrectly in MY INFO.  Make sure you said NO to the question about an agreement with another parent.  

 Did you enter SSN's for both kids?  You do not get CTC without SSN's.

[dani1276]

Ok @xmasbaby0 - THANK YOU SO MUCH! I was banging my head and then decided to just start all over and enter all info MANUALLY. Not sure what was wrong before, as I did have all my info and questions you asked entered correctly. But now, my 2025 taxes are correct and have been filed! Having this forum and discussion with you was very helpful! You take care and keep relaying the good tax info! ☺️