Me and my boyfriend filed jointly last year and the child tax credit was in his name. do i put that i got the payments or do i put that i didnt get it?

[TomK100]

First, you can file jointly if you are married-.  So, you will need to amend your tax return from last year to show your correct filing status(s).

In January you are going to receive a Letter 6419 from the IRS that shows how much -- if any-- advance monthly CTC payments were sent to you.   You (and your spouse) will each get your own letter with the total you each received.   That will have to be entered on your return and then the amount of CTC still owed to you will be reconciled on your 2021 return.

Enter your Advance Child Tax Credit information from IRS Letter 6419 here:

1. Open your return.
2. Click on Federal tab under Tax Home.
3. Click on the Edit/Add button next to Advance payments, Child and Other Dependent Tax Credits (under Your tax breaks).
4. Answer the interview questions.  

[xmasbaby0]

You cannot file a joint tax return unless you are legally married  so you both need to amend for 2020.   

If all of you live together as a family then only one of you can claim the child (ren).   The other parent does not enter anything about that child on their tax return.   You have not mentioned whether your BF is the children's bio-father----and that also matters.   Provide some details.   

[Carl]

First, you can file jointly if you are married-. So, you will need to amend your tax return from last year to show your correct filing status(s).

it was clearly stated leaving nothing to guess or assume, that you are not married to the boyfriend. Your filing status would be single unless on Dec 31 of the tax year you were still legally married to someone else.

Assuming you are the biological mother, in order for your boyfriend to claim the children as dependents, you the mother CAN NOT claim the children on your tax return. Note also that the biological father of the children has presidence to claim the children over anyone else - including the BF.

Next, the children must have lived with the BF for the entire tax year since they are not blood related to him.

do i put that i got the payments or do i put that i didnt get it?

Not totally sure here, but I think the BF was not entitled to any such payments. But you as the biological mother was. Doesn't matter if you actually had income or not either. But I could be wrong.  I suggest you seek the professional services of a CPA to review both 2020 tax returns for accuracy, and to file amendments if necessary. You really can't even start your 2021 tax return until you know for a fact your 2020 tax returns are correct, and they are actually corrected if not.