why is my earned income credit not being added to my refund, it tells me how much and then just doesn't add it

The credit most likely is lowering your tax due. 

I shouldn't owe any, I have kids and way overpaid, didnt claim them on my taxes all year, and I fall way under the qualifying income amount

You can look at your Form 1040 on line 27 to see if your earned income credit shows there. Also, you can review the other entries on that form to understand better how your tax is being calculated.

 

To view your form 1040 and schedule 1 to 3:

 

1. Choose Tax Tools from your left menu bar in TurboTax Online
2. Choose Tools
3. Choose View Tax Summary
4. See the Preview my 1040 option in the left menu bar and click on it
5. Choose the Back option in the left menu bar when you are done 

@shawshee 

 

It also sounds like you are confusing the child tax credit with earned income credit.  You mentioned "$2000"---which is the amount you can get per child for the child tax credit for children under age 17.  If you are getting the child tax credit it will be shown on line 19 of your Form 1040.   After your tax liability is down to zero, if any of that $2000 is left, up to $1700 of it can be put on line 28 as the "additional child tax credit"---which is refundable.

 

Earned income credit is a different credit all together, but is based on how much you earned from working.

 

 

 

  The maximum amount of the child tax credit is now $2000 per child; the refundable “additional child tax credit” amount is $1700.   In order to get that credit, you have to have income from working.  The credit is calculated based on the amount you earned above $2500 multiplied by 15%, up to the full $1700 per child. If the amount you earned was too low, you will not get the full $1700.

 

 If your child is older than 16 at the end of 2024, you do not get the CTC.  But you may still get the non-refundable $500 credit for other dependents instead.

 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/taxation/child-tax-credit/L2lNhfGDl_US_en_US?uid=m68dfq2u

 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/taxation/additional-child-tax-credit/L6xFeMFEf_US_en_US?uid=lqnuygah

https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/does-my-childdependent-qualify-for-the-child-tax-credit-or-the-credit-for-other-dependents

 

 

And for the Earned Income Credit—-

 

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-credits-deductions/qualifications-earned-income-credit-eic-eitc/L7w4BFP32_US_en_US?uid=m62rmz09

 

https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/use-the-eitc-assistant

 

 

 

 

Look at your 2024 Form 1040 to see the child-related credits you received

 

PREVIEW 1040

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-return/preview-turbotax-online-return-filing/L77WCkvnu_US_en_US?uid=m681fkhr

 

Child Tax Credit line 19

Credit for Other Dependents line 19

Earned Income Credit line 27

Additional Child Tax Credit line 28

 

 

 

 

Just a coincidence, it's $2140 and separate from the child tax credit. What happened was my kids were still on there so I didn't see what it was before they were added. I removed everything and saw for myself. First commenter was right, I did owe somehow, significantly, for the first time in my life. Oof. Thanks for taking the time to try and assist.