If i’ve tried every answer to put for the nonrefundable credit amt, and it won’t take any answer i put, even if i put exactly what it tells me it should be, what do i do?

[swer723985]

i’ve put 1, it’ll say it must be 0. i’ll put 0, then it’ll say it needs to be blank. i’ll leave it blank, it must have an answer. i type the word blank, it won’t even let me type letters, only numbers

[xmasbaby0]

Exactly which non-refundable credit are you asking about?  There are several.

[swer723985]

technically i shouldn’t qualify for any of them i don’t think..

[xmasbaby0]

@swer723985 Are you referring to child-related credits?   The refundable child-related credits are based on having income from working---like the additional child tax credit or earned income credit.  The childcare credit is non-refundable, but you had to have earned income to get it and pay someone to take care of your child while you work.  

The Lifetime Learning Credit is non-refundable but you only get that if you have a tax liability.   The American Opportunity Credit is a combination of refundable and non-refundable credit available for college expenses.  

The credit for other dependents is non refundable but can reduce tax liability.

What were you trying to get by putting in "every answer"  or  "1", etc.?

[swer723985]

i do have a daughter, but she was older than 1 at the end of 2022 so i didn’t think she allowed me credits. i didn’t have a job, and i just was trying to put 0 thinking that’s what i needed to put, but it said greater than zero. so i just put 1. then it says leave it blank, so i try. then it says it need an entry, but i still don’t know what to put by that point..

[xmasbaby0]

Okay---so you were trying to get refundable child-related credits.  Sorry--if you did not work you will not receive any child-related credits.  Here is why:

The 2021 child-related credits were very generous.  Lots of people are being taken by surprise this year when they find out the credits for 2022 are lower than they were last year.

The tax laws changed for child-related credits and are much less generous for 2022.

Make sure you have entered your child as a dependent in My Info, and that you have entered the child's Social Security number.    Careful— do not say that your child’s SSN is not valid for employment.  If your child was born in 2022 make sure you said he lived with you the whole year.  There is an oddly worded question that asks if the child paid over half their own support.  Say NO to that question.

Have you entered income from working in 2022?  If not,  you will not receive an income tax refund based on having dependent children.

The rules for getting the child tax credit on a 2021 tax return and now on a 2022 return are very different.  For 2021 you could get $3600 for a child under 6 or $3000 for a child between 6 and 17 even if you had no income/did not work.   That is NOT the way it will work for your 2022 tax return.  The “old” rules are back. 

  The maximum amount of the child tax credit is now $2000 per child; the refundable “additional child tax credit” amount is $1500.   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 $1500 per child. If the amount you earned was too low, you will not get the full $1500.

 If your child is older than 16 at the end of 2022, you do not get the CTC.  But you may still get the non-refundable $500 credit for other dependents instead.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900923-what-is-the-child-tax-credit

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

And for the Earned Income Credit—-the rules are back to the “old” rules—

Those under 25 and over 65 without children are not eligible as they were uniquely in 2021.   And you cannot use your income from any earlier tax year to get the EIC for a 2022 return.  There is no “lookback” for 2022.  EIC for 2022 will be based on the income you earned by working in 2022.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899157-what-are-the-qualifications-for-the-earned-income-credit-e...

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

Look at your 2022 Form 1040 to see the child-related credits you received

PREVIEW 1040

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901539-how-do-i-preview-my-turbotax-online-return-before-filing

Child Tax Credit line 19

Credit for Other Dependents line 19

Earned Income Credit line 27

Additional Child Tax Credit line 28

AND….If you have children but had  little or no income, it raises the question of how you and the children were supported.  There may be another tax-paying adult who can claim you and/or the children as dependents.