How to remove child tax credit or restart my taxes?

[DoninGA]

If you have not paid for the online edition you are using, have not filed your tax return or registered the Free edition, then you can clear your return and start over. Click on Tax Tools on the left side of the program screen while working on the 2019 online tax return. Click on Clear & Start Over.

[Hal_Al]

You do not select or remove the Child Tax credit (CTC). If you are entitled to it,  TurboTax (TT) will automatically give it to you.

Be advised you cannot claim the child as a dependent, for EIC,  and let the other parent claim the child tax credit.  See the "special rule" below.

There is a special rule in the case of divorced & separated (including never married) parents. When the non-custodial parent is claiming the child as a dependent/exemption/child tax credit; the custodial parent is still allowed to claim the same child for Earned Income Credit, Head of Household filing status, and day care credit. This "splitting of the child" is not available to parents who lived together at any time during the last 6 months of the year; then only one of you can claim the child for any tax reasons. The tax benefits may not be split in any other manner.

Note in particular that the non-custodial parent can never claim the Earned Income Credit, Head of Household filing status or the day care credit, based on that child , even when the custodial parent has released the exemption to him. 

[Dnaangela999]

So in the case you described for divorced parents, how do you remove the automatic calculation of the child tax credit.  I am claiming HoH but I want to sign over the child tax credit to my ex.  I’ve done this in the past when filing manually by signing form 8332, but when using Turbo Tax it is automatically giving me the child tax credit and I can’t figure out how to make it zero on my return without removing my child as a dependent completely, which changes my status to Single.

[Hal_Al]

In the personal info section, you enter your child as a dependent, then you go thru the dependent interview.  You will reach  a question that asks if you are letting the other parent claim the child this year.

[Dnaangela999]

When I say Yes to that question, it says my child “doesn’t count as your dependent”, and it throws me back into Single status.  I should still be HoH and only sign the Child Tax Credit over.

[Hal_Al]

It sounds like TT is not identifying you as the custodial parent.  The child must live with you for more than half the year.  When asked that question, you must answer 7 months or more.

Otherwise, you've answered something else wrong.

[Dnaangela999]

I did answer 7 months.  In fact, all the other questions I answered originally assigned me as the custodial parent and HoH, until I answered Yes to the question about allowing someone else to claim the child.  So I know I have the questions answered correctly to be the custodial parent.

i just want to remove the Child Tax Credit from my return. I don’t want to change anything else. 

[Hal_Al]

You must answer yes to the question: Do you have a custody agreement with the other parent.

If that doesn't work, Delete the dependent and re-enter him

[Dnaangela999]

I already said that when I answer yes to that question it prevents me from being the custodial parent and forces me to be single status and takes away the EITC.

i have also tried deleting and re-entering the child. No luck.

Is there not a way to delete the Child Tax Credit? I have tried deleting the form, under Tools, but that did nothing.

[Hal_Al]

@Dnaangela999 said "I already said that when I answer yes to that question it prevents me from being the custodial parent and forces me to be single status and takes away the EITC"

TT treats that question (are you  letting the other parent claim the child this year) differently depending on how you answer the question before it (Do you have a custody agreement with the other parent). Answer yes to both questions. 

I think it's a glitch in TT.  The answer to the first question shouldn't matter. 

[Dnaangela999]

I think that worked. I said Yes to the 1st question and No to the 2nd. Thank you!

[Dnaangela999]

I might have spoke too soon. While the change I made removed the Child Tax Credit and allowed me to remain as Head Of Household and keep the Earned Income Credit, but it also took out the $500 from the Recovery Rebate Credit. Since I never received the first stimulus check ($1,200 for me and $500 for my child), my credit was $1,700.  But by changing how I answered those two questions, TT reduced the credit to $1,200.  Does signing over form 8332, does that mean my ex will be able to get the $500 credit (he never received the stimulus for our child either)?

[Hal_Al]

 Q. Does signing over form 8332 mean my ex will be able to get the $500 credit (he never received the stimulus for our child either)?

A. Yes.

"In essence, the stimulus check acts as an advance of your 2020 income tax refund. Whoever claims the child as a dependent (child tax credit) gets to claim the child's "stimulus" as The recovery rebate credit.   The ex will also claim the 2nd child ($600) rebate credit, even though you already received it. You do not have to pay back the $600 you received. It's a tax loop hole, you both get the money!

[Dnaangela999]

Thats good to know.  Can we we each take one of the credits ($2,000 Child Tax Credit and the $1,100 for the two child stimulus payments)?

In other words, by signing form 8332, can I choose to keep the Child Tax Credit and have my ex take the $1,100?  Assuming we both agree to that, is that allowed? Or does 8332 force only one person take all those credits?