US Principle Abode

[raulgsr]

I see a new question never asked before us principle abode. What does this mean I need to answer yes or no

[MaryK4 · Accepted solution]

This question is to qualify for the Child Tax Credit.  The Child Tax Credit (CTC) for 2021 is fully refundable if you (or your spouse, if filing a joint return) have a principal place of abode in the United States for more than half of 2021. 

"Abode" has been variously defined as one's home, habitation, residence, domicile, or place of dwelling.  The location of your abode often will depend on where you maintain your economic, family, and personal ties.  I guess the IRS is too fancy to ask if you lived in the United States for at least six months (which is how they used to ask...)

[raulgsr]

so in lame terms do we live together in a home in the USA ? (we do own a home and lived in it over 7 years now) so my answer would be yes ?

[DoninGA]

---

@raulgsr wrote:

so in lame terms do we live together in a home in the USA ? (we do own a home and lived in it over 7 years now) so my answer would be yes ?

---

Yes.  Your answer would be Yes.

[nikeshadkr]

What about those person, who don't own a house and pay rent month to month ?

Thank you

[AliciaP1]

Yes, if you live in the US and it is your principal residence, no matter how you pay for it, the answer is yes.

@nikeshadkr

[genelee1124]

How do I change my answer? I can't find it anywhere in Turbotax Premier version.

[TeresaM]

This is a question that is asked during the section for the Child Tax Credit. Please step through that interview again and you can click the checkbox to answer this question.

1. Click on Federal in the menu bar on the left
2. Select Deductions & Credits at the top
3. Scroll down to the section for You and Your Family and click on Show More
4. Select Start or Revisit for  Advance payments, Child and Other Dependent Tax Credits

[buenoshun]

I dont have a child or a spouse.

Then why does turbotax ask me about how much child tax credit i received?

early on in the software i entered "no dependents". Turbotax 2021 is full of bugs.

Why is turbotax including the schedule 8812 for single childless persons?????????

[DoninGA]

---

@buenoshun wrote:

I dont have a child or a spouse.

Then why does turbotax ask me about how much child tax credit i received?

early on in the software i entered "no dependents". Turbotax 2021 is full of bugs.

---

Everyone is being asked this question since TurboTax does not know if the user was one who received these advances from the IRS in 2021.

Enter a 0 (zero) when asked to enter a number on the Schedule 8812. This will correct the issue and remove the Schedule 8812 from your tax return so that you can file the return.

[xmasbaby0]

@buenoshun

Everyone has to answer whether they received advance child tax credit payments.   If you did not receive any of those payments between July and December you need to answer that you did not receive any payments.

There are so many scenarios with those payments---like divorced/never married parents who have issues over who received the payments, who claimed the children, etc. --- the software has no way of knowing if any of that involves you---so you have to answer the questions about it. 

Please follow these steps to indicate you did not receive any advanced payments:

1. Click on the "Search" on the top and type "Child tax credit"
2. Click on “Jump to Child Tax Credit”
3. Continue through the questions until the "Tell us about any advance Child Tax Credit payments" screen and select "No".
4. Continue through the questions.

[buenoshun]

im afraid that if i fill out the child tax credit section, it will generate a lot of paperwork with statements like Mr XXXXX has children, which would be a false statement on a legal document.

Again, why does turbotax put its customers into situations like this?

[xmasbaby0]

@buenoshun You are over thinking it.   Everyone has to answer the child tax credit questions this year.   Just follow the directions given, and you will be fine.

[buenoshun]

ok. I filled in zero on the form.

these questions are just illogical.

I'm glad they are not asking if my boat is 40ft long or 30ft long. because I dont own a boat.

The form should have a checkbox do you have dependents or children or something, or number of children...

[danhyde2]

I am married and live in a house in the US.  I answered Yes to that question.   I entered 0 to the next question.

I answered no to the abode in puerto rico & entered a 0 there.   after doing this, I received an extra $500 added to my refund amount.    I like the extra refund, but don't understand why it added it at that time.

Is that normal for it to add that amount to the refund?

thanks.