Our IRS tax transcript only has 3 of our 5 dependents listed. Does the number of dependents get truncated for the transcript, or did they miss the two dependents?

[Otjakeb]

We had 3 dependents reported on page one of our 1040.  The other 2 were moved to page 3 by TurboTax.  Did the IRS miss those kids?
We received a VERY unexpected CP11 reporting that we OWE over $1000 when TT told us we would get a REFUND of a couple thousand dollars.
I'm guessing the missing dependents screwed up the Child Tax Credit calculation as we entered all of it correctly.  (We entered the amount for both me AND my wife on line 14F).

I have literally LITERALLY called the IRS at various times of day and different days EIGHTY FIVE TIMES.  EIGHT FRIGGIN FIVE TIMES.
I actually got connected once but the rep told me he couldn't help me and would have to transfer me...and proceeded to hang up.

What's the community's opinion on how to proceed?

[NCperson]

@Otjakeb 

1) wait for the letter you receive from the IRS that gives a general explanation

2) what was the EXACT amount of the IRS adjustment

3) of your 5 children, how many were under the age of 6 as of 12/31/21.

4) what did you post on line 14f of Form 8812?

5) did you efile or paper file? 

if you post the answers to 2) - 5)  I may be able to determine what occured. 

[Otjakeb]

1) wait for the letter you receive from the IRS that gives a general explanation

                    CP11 "Refundable Child Tax Credit"

2) what was the EXACT amount of the IRS adjustment

                     Taxes You Owed: $3,283

                     Payments You Made:  $2,111   (This wasn't a payment from me...some sort of tax relief?)

                     Interest: $14.99 (What a joke...they printed the CP11 on Aug 1st and we didn't receive it until the 15th)

                     ------------------------------------------

                    Amount Due:  $1,186.99

3) of your 5 children, how many were under the age of 6 as of 12/31/21.

                        Only one of my 5 kids was under 6, they were one of the ones missing on the transcript.

4) what did you post on line 14f of Form 8812?

                         $7,500 ($3,750 for me, $3,750 for my wife.)

5) did you efile or paper file?

                          TurboTax forced us to paper file.

if you post the answers to 2) - 5) I may be able to determine what occured.

[NCperson]

@Otjakeb 

1) what was the refund you were expecting? in other words when you filed you tax return, what was on Line 34 and 35a? (they might be the same) of Form 1040?

2) did the amount on Line 14f came from the letters you received from the IRS or did you determine yourself from your bank records?  I would have expected you to have recived $1500 * 4 children + $1800....that is $7800 - not $7500..... as you state 1 child was under 6 on 12/31/21 (so the other 4 children were 6 - 17 years old).  

[Otjakeb]

1) what was the refund you were expecting? in other words when you filed you tax return, what was on Line 34 and 35a? (they might be the same) of Form 1040?   

                               Turbotax Calculated a Return of $5,428 but I know that the rules of the CTC changed in the middle of the

                                 game...so I didn't expect exactly that much...but I certainly didn't expect to have to OWE over $1,000.

2) did the amount on Line 14f came from the letters you received from the IRS or did you determine yourself from your bank records?  I would have expected you to have recived $1500 * 4 children + $1800....that is $7800 - not $7500..... as you state 1 child was under 6 on 12/31/21 (so the other 4 children were 6 - 17 years old).  

                               Our bank account shows 6 deposits of $1,250 ($1,250x6=$7500).  On our IRS online account it shows that I

                               received $3,750 and my wife received $3,750.  You are correct about the children's ages and you are correct on

                               what our payments SHOULD have been.

I plan on sending a certified letter discussing all of this and also faxing it all to be doubly sure...but I hate the idea that we'll have to wait EVEN LONGER for any response from the IRS.

[Mike9241]

the CP11 should explain the changes the IRS made and why

check form 8812 line 4, 5 and 6 to make sure they are correct 

the amount you entered on line14F may differ from what the IRS shows, review your advance payments. does it match the total shown on IRS letters # 6419? you and your spouse would have each received one for 1/2 of the total advance payments 

[NCperson · Accepted solution]

@Otjakeb yes, I suspect the data entry operator did not pick up the supplemental sheet with the last 2 children

1) you expected a refund of $5428

2) The IRS now states you owe $1172 (before the interest penalty)

3) the change is $6600.  (add the 2 numbers above together).  that is EXACTLY one child ages 6-17 and one child under the age of 5.

(line 14f is correct - don't worry about it)

follow the instructions on the letter you received from the IRS, disputing their adjustment. 

[Otjakeb]

the CP11 should explain the changes the IRS made and why

------------------------------------

                                        "We changed the refundable Child Tax Credit amount claimed on your tax return because there was an error on Schedule 8812, Credits for Qualifying Children and Other Dependents, in one of the following:

                                   -The computation of the credit on Schedule 8812 was incorrect.

                                   -The amount on Schedule 8812 was not transferred correctly to your tax return.

                                   -You received advance Child Tax Credit payments but did not reconcile them or you reconciled them incorrectly.

------------------------------------

                                   None of those situations are true unless they missed two of our dependents so they miscalculated.

check form 8812 line 4, 5 and 6 to make sure they are correct 

                                   TurboTax added all of the 8812 numbers for us, so I had no control of that.

                                                4a = 5, 4b = 1, 4c = 4

                                                5 = $15,600 (It says to enter the amount from the Line 5 worksheet, but that was not            

                                                         included by TurboTax in our return, so I'm not sure what a Line 5 worksheet is.)

the amount you entered on line14F may differ from what the IRS shows, review your advance payments. does it match the total shown on IRS letters # 6419? you and your spouse would have each received one for 1/2 of the total advance payments 

                                         Neither my wife nor I received a 6419 letter, so we had to go with what is on our IRS online account.  My wife's is reported as $3,750 and mine is reported as $3,750...and we entered $7,500 on line 14F.

[Otjakeb]

Thanks for the confirmation of my fears.

I sent an explanation letter in a fax and I'll also send the same letter and supporting documentation in a certified letter.

Sure would be a lot effing easier if I could just call the stupid line and let someone know.

I refuse to wait through 85 more calls.

[Critter-3]

Sadly the IRS data entry personnel often miss things so if you DID send the overflow statement for the other 2 kids then they may have missed them and recalculated the return without them.  If that is the case then mailing back (or faxing) a response in disagreement would be the way to go ... make sure to also send that overflow statement.