If the child tax credit amount being 2,000 and I have 4 children, shouldn't I be receiving more than 2,000?

[xmasbaby0]

We cannot see your return, and do not know how much income you entered from working.

The rules for getting the child tax credit on a 2021 tax return and now on a 2022 return are very different.  For 2021 you could get $3600 for a child under 6 or $3000 for a child between 6 and 17 even if you had no income/did not work.   That is NOT the way it will work for your 2022 tax return.  The “old” rules are back.   The maximum amount of the child tax credit is now $2000; the refundable “additional child tax credit” amount is $1500.   In order to get that credit, you have to have income from working.  The credit is calculated based on the amount you earned above $2500 multiplied by 15%, up to the full $1500.  If your child is older than 16 at the end of 2022, you do not get the CTC.  But you may still get the non-refundable $500 credit for other dependents instead.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900923-what-is-the-child-tax-credit

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—-the rules are back to the “old” rules—

Those under 25 and over 65 without children are not eligible as they were uniquely in 2021.   And you cannot use your income from any earlier tax year to get the EIC for a 2022 return.  There is no “lookback” for 2022.  EIC for 2022 will be based on the income you earned by working in 2022.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899157-what-are-the-qualifications-for-the-earned-income-credit-e...

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

[xmasbaby0]

Look at your 2022 Form 1040 to see the child-related credits you received

PREVIEW 1040

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901539-how-do-i-preview-my-turbotax-online-return-before-filing

Child Tax Credit line 19

Credit for Other Dependents line 19

Earned Income Credit line 27

Additional Child Tax Credit line 28

[Jessmore]

Is there some sort of issue with the software because it doesn't seem to be giving the credit at all when you meet all the criteria. Several people I know who have started their returns are reporting not getting any of the credit at all. 

[xmasbaby0]

@Jessmore Have you entered the income you earned from working?  You will not get the child tax credit if you did not work in 2022.  And have you entered your dependents in My Info?

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 2022 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.

[Jessmore]

Well it isn't me I haven't gotten all my paperwork to file yet. I just know a few people who were trying to file with the software who said they weren't getting the credit. They did work and earn income that is all I know. I will pass the info along to see if those things help them. I was really just inquiring on if anyone has reported an issue with this since they were having issues. 

[Hal_Al]

 Q. If the child tax credit amount being 2,000 and I have 4 children, shouldn't I be receiving more than 2,000?

A. No. The Child Tax Credit is not a straight $2000 per child.  It has to be calculated, for each tax filer.

The child tax credit  (CTC) is limited to your tax liability. The CTC is a non-refundable credit and can only reduce your income tax to 0, It can not help you beyond eliminating your tax liability. But, if you have more than $2500 of earned income, some or all of it is usually given back to you thru the "Additional Child tax credit". That is, part of the CTC may be on line 28 of form 1040 (2021 & 2022) instead of line 19. The  ACTC is calculated on form 8812 and  is basically 15% of your earned income over $2500. The ACTC is a maximum of $1500 per child (not $2000).

[Jessmore]

So do you have to have a tax liability to get the ACTC part or can you get it if your tax liability is already 0

[Hal_Al]

Q. Can you get ACTC if your tax liability is already 0?

A. Yes, but you must have more than $2500 of earned income.

Example: Single Mom has 4 kids and $10, 000 on a W-2.  She has tax no liability (her standard deduction gets he taxable income to 0), so there is no CTC.

10,000 - 2500 = $7500 eligible for the ACTC.  $7500 x 15% = $1125 is all the ACTC she will get despite having 4 kids.  She will also get some Earned Income Credit (about $4500) if she otherwise qualifies. 

[Jessmore]

Ok thanks so much