What do I do if the IRS did not give me the S6,000 in advanced child tax credit that their letters said they deposited? I have bank records to show it was only 5,000.

[mainiac1]

The IRS says to call a special child tax credit number which I have done every day for 3 weeks and the number says every day to call back on another day due to high call volumes, no matter what time of day I call. There's no option to leave a message. Turbo Tax online chat was useless. They suggested that I just put down the amount that the IRS says they gave us (and lose $1,000).

[ThomasM125]

You can enter the actual amount you received, but that may delay your refund if you have one. Whatever you enter, it is likely that the IRS will adjust it to reflect what they show that they sent you.

You can amend your return after you file it, so one option is to report what they say you received, then go back after you receive your refund and file an amended return and attach an explanation that you didn't receive the amount they said they sent you for the advance child tax credit. 

[fanfare]

The question is, Why ?

did you get checks in the mail for the credit? If a check was lost you have to try to recover that outside your tax return.

did your payments stop sometime in 2021?

did you file a 2020 1040-X? If so, that would do it.

If you try to get the money back by the amendment strategy suggested,

a)  it will take over a year for IRS to complete a 1040-X, and/or

b) you may never get it because the 1040-X will be denied.

Use your own best judgement.