Why is the other half of my child tax credit not included in my estimated return?

[empire2629]

I received the advance payments but am not receiving the other half according to my estimated return

[Vanessa A]

If the system is saying you cannot have the remainder, it is likely because: 

• Your information is incorrect (missing information or you answered something wrong)
• Your child's information is incorrect (missing information) or does not meet the criteria this year for a Qualifying Child
• You already received more than you were entitled to
• You answered that someone else is able to claim your child for 2021
• You answered that someone else supports you or your child
• You entered an amount equal to the total child tax credit when asked how much you already received instead of just half of the amount.

To fix this, you can go back through and verify that all information is correct. If someone else can claim you or your child for 2021, then you would not be eligible to get the remainder of the credit. 

[Critter-3]

The Child Tax Credit phases out in two different steps based on your modified adjusted gross income (AGI) in 2021.

The first phaseout can reduce the Child Tax Credit to $2,000 per child.

• That is, the first phaseout step can reduce only the $1,600 increase for qualifying children ages 5 and under, and the $1,000 increase for qualifying children ages 6 through 17, at the end of 2021.

The second phaseout can reduce the remaining Child Tax Credit below $2,000 per child.

For additional information on the amounts of modified AGI that reduce the 2021 Child Tax Credit, see Q C4 and Q C5, below.

Q C3. What is my modified AGI? (added June 14, 2021)

A3. For purposes of the Child Tax Credit and advance Child Tax Credit payments, your modified AGI is your adjusted gross income (from the 2020 IRS Form 1040, line 11, or the 2019 IRS Form 1040, line 8b), plus the following amounts that may apply to you.

• Any amount on line 45 or line 50 of the 2020 or 2019 IRS Form 2555, Foreign Earned Income.
• Any amount excluded from gross income because it was received from sources in Puerto Rico or American Samoa.

If you do not have any of the above, your modified AGI is the same as your AGI.

Q C4. How does the first phaseout reduce the 2021 Child Tax Credit to $2,000 per child? (added June ...

A4. The Child Tax Credit begins to be reduced to $2,000 per child if your modified AGI in 2021 exceeds:

• $150,000 if married and filing a joint return or if filing as a qualifying widow or widower;
• $112,500 if filing as head of household; or
• $75,000 if you are a single filer or are married and filing a separate return.

The first phaseout reduces the Child Tax Credit by $50 for each $1,000 (or fraction thereof) by which your modified AGI exceeds the income threshold described above that is applicable to you.

Q C5. How does the second phaseout reduce the remaining $2,000 Child Tax Credit? (added June 14, 202...

A5. The Child Tax Credit won’t begin to be reduced below $2,000 per child until your modified AGI in 2021 exceeds:

• $400,000 if married and filing a joint return; or
• $200,000 for all other filing statuses.

The second phaseout reduces the Child Tax Credit by $50 for each $1,000 (or fraction thereof) by which your modified AGI exceeds the income threshold described above that is applicable to you.

[Gumbo72]

Our situation is the same as described in the original post.  All personal information is correct, we have not reached the AGI threshold for reductions.  Seems to be a bug in the program?

[Critter-3]

Ignore the Refund-O-Meter   and review the actual form 1040 & 8812 ... did you get the CTC correctly ?    If so when it went to your 1040 was it used to negate your taxes ?  

You can peek at only  the Federal form 1040 and the summary of the state info by going here:

1) lower- Left side of the screen...click to the left side of the "Tax Tools" text selection.
2)  then select "Tools"
3) then select "View Tax Summary" from the pop-up
4) then back to the left-side and "Preview 1040"

Then hit the "Back" on the left side to get back to your tax entries.

To view your entire return using the online editions (including the state) before you file, you will need to pay for your online account.

To pay the TurboTax online account fees by credit card, without completing the 2021 return at this time, click on Tax Tools >>> Tools  and then Print Center.  Then click on Print, save or preview this year's return.  On the next page, to pay by credit card, click Continue.  On the next screen it will ask if you want Audit Defense, if you do not want this option just click on the Continue button.  The next screen will ask for all your credit card information so you can pay for the account.