How do I access TurboTax's calculations of Line 5 on Schedule 8812?

[Username5136070]

I received a CP11 notice from the IRS stating that they "...changed the refundable Child Tax Credit amount claimed..." After several hours on the phone, speaking to 2 different reps, they thought that the problem was with Line 5 on Schedule 8812. My return had one number, and they reduced it by over $2000. I have 5 dependents (all recognized as legal dependents) and did not receive any Child Tax Credits in 2021 (or any year) as part of the Covid stimulus. My question is how do I access TurboTax's calculations to justify it's value to the IRS on Schedule 8812?

[xmasbaby0]

The child tax credit is not "part of the covid stimulus."   You do not mention the ages of the children----you could get the CTC for qualifying child dependents  under the age of 18 if they had Social Security numbers valid for employment, and lived with you in the U.S. for at least six months.   If you received any of the advance child tax credit payments between July and December of 2021 you were supposed to enter the amount received.  The amounts sent to you for those payments were in letter 6419 which was sent to EACH parent with half assigned to each of you so you had to enter all of it if you filed a joint return.   If you entered less than the amount received the IRS caught the mistake and reduced your  refund.

You cannot get the CTC for the child of a BF, GF, etc.  so not sure what you are referring to when you say they are "legal dependents"   They could be qualifying relative dependents for the $500 credit for other dependents, but not for the CTC.  So we need details about the children.

Tell us more about the children.   

The IRS knows how much they sent to you for the 3rd stimulus check and they know how much they sent for advance child tax credit payments.   If you answered something incorrectly on your tax return then the IRS made a correction that resulted in a reduced refund for you. 

  Meanwhile it might help you to check your online IRS account.

https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account

https://blog.turbotax.intuit.com/tax-refunds/why-is-my-tax-refund-not-what-i-expected-49240/

[Username5136070]

Thank you,

The 5 children are all under 18 (1 was under 6), are born of us and no other person can claim them as dependents, live with my wife and I full time in the US, and have been considered full dependents by the IRS in other tax years.  None of them work.  The IRS had a different value, as I was just notified by Notice CP11, than my return had in Schedule 8812.  The multiple reps at the IRS were not sure why.  My wife and I did not receive advanced child tax credit payments, and I verified that on the "My Account" IRS website.   From what I gathered, Line 5 on Schedule 8812 is where the difference was.  My question is how does TurboTax get Line 5 on Schedule 8812 so that I can justify the value I have on my return versus what the IRS changed it to?

[DoninGA · Accepted solution]

@Username5136070 TurboTax would calculate Line 5 of the Schedule 8812 by using the Line 5 Worksheet as shown in the Schedule 8812 instructions - https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/i1040s8--2021.pdf#page=4

[Username5136070]

Thank you, I understand that they use that form, but how can I look at the form within my TurboTax return file to view the calculations as opposed to me filing out the worksheet myself?

[DoninGA]

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@Username5136070 wrote:

Thank you, I understand that they use that form, but how can I look at the form within my TurboTax return file to view the calculations as opposed to me filing out the worksheet myself?

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TurboTax does not have the worksheet available for viewing.  The calculations are done within the software based on the IRS Schedule 8812 Line 5 Worksheet.

[Username5136070]

Thank you all, the above worksheet was easy to fill out, so I will just use that to send to the IRS.  The IRS calculations are different, but at least I can justify what TurboTax had.  Thank you.