I have zero income for 2021. But I qualify for the fully refundable child tax credit. How do I get it?

[patrick0527-]

Turbo tax child tax credit calculator said I would get the full amount for my two dependents between the ages of 6 and 17.

[Affordabletaxes2021]

You’ll need to file a return in 2022 to claim child tax credits. See irs.gov for free filing options.

[xmasbaby0]

You will need to file a 2021 tax return and claim your children as dependents in order to get the child tax credit.   However---you say you had "zero" income.    How were you and the children supported?   Is someone else supporting you?   Can you and the children be claimed as dependents on someone else's tax return?

[fanfare]

@xmasbaby0 '

You seem to have forgotten about

housing subsidy, SNAP food subsidy, heating subsidy, phone subsidy, free cell phone

EIP1,2,3

deferred rent, deferred student loan payments and food banks.

[xmasbaby0]

@fanfare No, I have not forgotten any of those possibilities.   I have also not forgotten the possibility of receiving support from a parent, sibling, grandparent, BF or GF, etc. etc. ---so the question about where the support has been coming from is a fair question.

[patrick0527-]

No, someone else did not support or claim my children. I am an RN and was injured on the job. I am on total temporary disability. And because it is 2/3 of my base income, I am not required to pay taxes. I think it was kind of inappropriate to ask the questions you did. I could have had money saved, but no income, and supported my children. 

[patrick0527-]

You are supposed to be a part of a community, not be nosey. I had a question and should have to explain my person life to a stranger. You lack manners. It was very rude of you to ask.

[Hal_Al]

Q. I qualify for the fully refundable child tax credit. How do I get it?

A. You file a ta return, claiming your 2 children as dependents.  You cannot efile a tax return with 0 income, so you will have to mail the return.

Some people recommend reporting $1 of interest income so that you can e-file. I assume that works, since I've seen that recommendation frequently. 

Are you sure your disability income is non taxable?  "Because it is 2/3 of my base income" is not usually a reason for the income to be tax free. 

If you receive a form W-2 or 1099-R, for the income, it is taxable. For a detailed explanation, see:

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/disability/help/is-disability-income-taxable/00/26023

and

https://www.ameriprise.com/research-market-insights/tax-center/tax-planning/taxation-of-disability-i...

[xmasbaby0]

@patrick0527- We do not ask questions to be nosey.   We ask questions in order to give you the best and most appropriate answer for your issue.   There are people who can be claimed as someone else's dependent who do not know or understand that they cannot claim a dependent of their own---so we ask --- when you said you had "no income" that could describe many different situations.   We do not want to give information that will end up causing you a problem or causing you to file incorrectly.   It sounds like in your situation you can claim your children on your own return and get the full amount of the CTC ----but mail the return or enter $1 of interest so that you can e-file.

[xmasbaby0]

Disability Income

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901145-is-disability-income-taxable