I got a divorce in 2021. I'm head of household, and have custody of kids. I received AdvCTC. 6419 says I got half the amount I received. Ex got 6419 with other half.

[boondockseven]

Ex didn't actually get any of the money, it was direct deposited to my account. Do I enter half amount or full amount? We're filing separately. Also, I think I made too much this year, and will have to pay the amount back.

[rjs]

On your tax return you must enter the exact amount that's in your own 6419 letter. TurboTax will calculate whether you get an additional credit on your tax return or have to pay some back.

Your ex must enter the amount from their 6419 letter. If you are claiming the children for 2021, your ex will have to pay back the amount from their letter, unless they qualify for repayment protection.

[fanfare]

@boondockseven 

It sounds like you'll have to pay him back his amount so he can return it to US Treasury.

Then your own tax return will make that up for you.

This assumes you are claiming all children in 2021.

[rjs]

To clarify what fanfare said, there is nothing in the tax law that requires you to give half of the advance payments to your ex. If you choose to do so, it's purely voluntary on your part. You might choose to pay it out of a sense of fairness, or to keep the peace with your ex.

[boondockseven]

When filling it out it says to enter the amount of your advance payments using one of the following, either the 6419 or the IRS Child Tax Credit Update Portal. When I look at the portal, it lists all of the advanced payments that were issued, which add up to the actual amount I received. I haven't had her check to see if it also shows payments for her yet, but if it doesn't then I'll enter the full amount on mine. 

Unfortunately, I have to pay them back as I make to much now that I'm filing as head of household and not jointly. 

[rjs · Accepted solution]

I know that it says that in TurboTax, but it's wrong. You cannot use the amount from the portal. If you enter anything other than the amount in your own 6419 letter your tax return will be pulled for manual processing. Given the current state of the IRS backlog, that means that processing of your return will be delayed for many months. If you are getting a refund, you refund will be delayed. And when they finally process your tax return, you will get a notice from the IRS telling you that your tax return is wrong because you didn't enter the correct amount from your 6419 letter.

[DMarkM1]

Please review what @rjs stated.  You do not report the entire amount of advanced child tax on your return.  You will only report the amount on your 6419 letter as advanced child tax credit payment to you.  That is what is attached to your social security number in the IRS records. 

Your ex will report what was in their letter and attached to their social security number.    

You do have the option to assist your ex with that overpayment with the amount that you received but was reported under their social security number.   

[bbarner6]

I'm having the same issue. This doesn't help though. Because my ex is not claiming the children he is not prompted to enter the amount from his letter. There is no other way to do it. So do I enter the combined amount on mine? Or just what is on my letter? What happens if he got a letter, doesn't claim the kids this year, and doesn't enter an amount?

[JamesG1]

You are filing a tax return separate from the ex-spouse so you report only the advance payments reported on your IRS Letter 6419.

Report the Advance Child Tax Credit payments received under Federal / Deductions & Credits / Your tax breaks / Advance payments, Child and Other Dependent Tax Credits at the screen Tell us about any Advance Child Tax Credit payments.

• In box 1 report the amount of the advance payments. 
• In box 2 report the number of qualifying children listed on your IRS Letter 6419, not the number of qualifying children you are reporting on your 2021 Federal 1040 tax return.

The ex-spouse's tax return will report the amount of Advance Child Tax Credit payments received and reported on that ex-spouse's IRS Letter 6419.  Schedule 8812 on the ex-spouse's tax return will determine whether the ex-spouse will be required to pay back some, all or none of the advance payments.

[bbarner6]

Nope. Those options do not come up if you are not claiming dependents this year. 

[rjs]

@bbarner6 

If you are not claiming any dependents, in the Search box type "child tax credit" (without the quotes). Then click the link that says "Jump to child tax credit." After a couple of preliminary questions you will come to a screen that asks whether you received any advance Child Tax Credit payments. If you answer Yes it will give you a place to enter the amount you received. Then continue through the rest of the questions.