Tax credit

[Ksehati]

I’m a US citizen living in UK. I have two dependents (my twin 3 year old sons), I received $2800 child tax credit for 2020 and also two stimulus checks, but I didn’t receive monthly tax child credit payment that supposed to send on July 15th. Also the third stimulus check. Do I as a US expat eligible to get them? And can I fill out amendments for 2018 and 2019, that I didn’t receive child benefits? 

[lcasteel1]

Hey Ksehati, 

Your main home has to be in the United States for at least half of the year to qualify for the advance child tax credit.  That is the payments that started in July.  If you were eligible for the credits in 2018 and 2019, then I would file by all means if you were eligible; however, keep in mind the credits were not as much in 2018 and 2019.  The amount for 2018 & 2019 was $2,000 per child but not all of that was refundable as it was a credit not a deduction.  What that means is you had to owe that much in tax and it reduced that amount.  1400 wss refundable which means if you owed $1,000.00 then it would drop your bill to 0 and you would get 400 back.  You just wouldn't get the remaining 600 that was not refundable.