Why didnt i get my child tax credit

[Ruka187]

I didn't get my child tax credit and I'm not sure why. I did my 2020 taxes and have 3 dependents. 

[Loretta P]

There are many reasons why you might not have received the Advanced CTC payment yet.  The IRS is truly overloaded this year between still being backed up from the pandemic, the stimulus payments and now the Advance Child Tax Credit payments. 

My suggestion would be to first check your return to make sure you indicated the child lived with you the entire year.  Also make sure you did not accidently mark that the child's social security number was not valid for employment.  Then I would go to the IRS website at the below links:

Advance Portal: 

https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal

The Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant Website:

https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-eligibility-assistant

And lastly the Advance Child Tax Credit Payments in 2021 Website:

https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021

I would verify my eligibility and manage my account on the IRS website for clarification.

[KochuK]

Hi Ruka187, thank you for joining the "Ask the Experts: New Dependent" special forum today.

Please check on the Child Tax Credit Update Portal if there is any information on the status of advanced payments. If it says "pending", that means IRS is still reviewing your account for eligibility. 

Advance Payments of the Child Tax Credit
Which Online Tool Should I Use?
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5534e.pdf

If it says the payment was issued, but you did not received it, then you can request a payment trace to track your payment. Please refer to Topic B, question 9:

 B9. My payment was issued but I didn’t receive it. What can I do? (added June 21, 2021)

A9. You can request a payment trace to track your payment if you have not received it within the timeframes below. We will not be able to trace your payment unless it has been:

• 5 days since the deposit date and the bank says it hasn't received the payment 
• 4 weeks since the payment was mailed by check to a standard address 
• 6 weeks since the payment was mailed, and you have a forwarding address on file with the local post office 
• 9 weeks since the payment was mailed, and you have a foreign address

To start a payment trace, mail or fax a completed Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund PDF. 

https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-t...

Hope this helps.