CHILD TAX CREDIT
There was lots of hype in the news about the new $2000 Child Tax Credit when the tax law changed for 2018 and beyond. Unfortunately, some people do not yet understand that it does not mean they will automatically receive $2000 per child just for filing a tax return.
Do not assume your refund will include $2000 per child for child tax credits. It does not work that way. The CTC is used first to reduce your tax liability to zero. After that, there is a refundable portion —up to $1400 — called the Additional Child Tax Credit that is calculated based on the amount of income you earned. You do not necessarily get the maximum amount. You get 15% of the amount of income earned above $2500--UP to the maximum amount possible.
If your child turned 17 in 2019, even on the last day of 2019, you do not get the child tax credit. There are no exceptions to the rule. You can still claim your child as a dependent.
Your child must have a Social Security number to get the CTC.
If your child was born in 2019 you need to say the child lived with you for the WHOLE year.
If your child lived with you for less than half the year you cannot get CTC.
If you did not earn at least $2500 you cannot receive the child tax credit. Beyond that amount the CTC you receive is affected by your tax liability and the amount you earned. You might not get the full $2000 of CTC.
The child tax credit is reduced by $50 for every $1000 of AGI over these limits:
Married filing jointly $400,000 (CTC disappears at $440,000)
Single, Head of Household, Married Filing Separately or qualifying widower $200,000 (CTC disappears at $240,000)
Look at your 2019 tax return to see the credits you received:
Child tax credit line 12a
Additional Child Tax Credit line 17b (schedule 8812)
Credit for Other Dependents line 12a
PREVIEW 1040
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901539-how-do-i-preview-my-turbotax-online-return-before-filing
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900923-what-is-the-child-tax-credit
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3029430-why-is-my-child-tax-credit-smaller-this-year
There may be many reasons for which you are not getting the full child tax credit.
Please read this TurboTax answer from Champion Hal_Al for more information.
I made a dumb mistake...on my daughter's info I had accidentally checked the 'Note eligible for employment...' box which disqualified her for the CTC. Unchecked the box and it shot up!
I am only posting this here in hopes someone can help me, I sent a message thinking it was going to post in the forum and it went as a PM, I am not sure how to post to forum, if someone can assist me please? I have a situation I need assistance with.
Who did you PM it to? You can go up to your messages and copy/paste it here.
It was to Champ. I didn't realize I sent it and didn't post it. Received a message back that I had to post, they don't answer personally. Ugh, I can't get into it to copy/paste. To much again to retype right now, I guess I will do tomorrow. Thank you so much for responding.
Still so new at this. Stressed, preparing for a major surgery. Single Mom of an Autistic son who has been struggling. I sent the message to Hal_Al
The Child Tax Credit is now $3,600 for each child under 6 years old and $3,000 for children 6 to 17. At this time TurboTax is not updated with the new figures from Friday's American Rescue Plan.
TurboTax will be up to date with that increased child tax credit when it goes into effect next year---it is not for your 2020 tax return----it is for 2021.
That CTC increase is not for 2020; it is for 2021. Your 2020 return does not have to be amended for it. More information will be available soon; the details of how it will be implemented have not yet been clarified fully. There may be monthly payments going out beginning in July 2021, with some of the CTC still left as a refundable credit on your 2021 tax return next year.
First year being a Single disabled Mom. Son is also disabled. We both get our own SSA-1099. How does that work? I understand I do not have to file. Yet this means no Child Credit. We don't even bring in $22,000 between our disability & Child Support. How does this work. Will I never qualify now for the child tax credit? I've never not worked. Became physically disabled rather fast last year. I've filed with Turbo tax the past 9 years. I was told something about a look back rule?