Why is my return 2000 lower this year

[CatinaT1]

Without looking at your return it is impossible to know why.

These are the most common things that effect your refund or balance due:

• Change in Filing Status;
• Change in dependents claimed;
• No longer have a child, under age 17, to claim the Child Tax Credit
• The amount of federal and/or state withholding;
• Income based credits, such as the Earned Income credit;
• Tax bracket changes

[flogreg2]

I compared the last 5 years and the only difference is total tax.  My income has not changed or my tax bracket which is low

[BillM223]

It is not possible that the only difference is total tax. The rules of arithmetic alone make that impossible.

Tell us the following for the last 5 years:

1. What was your Adjusted Gross Income (line 11b in 2019)?

2. What was the tax (line 12a in 2019)?

3. What was your total tax (line 16 in 2019)?

4. What were the refundable credits (line 18e in 2019)?

5. What were your total payments (line 19 in 2019)?

Somewhere in your answers will point to the missing $2,000.

[flogreg2]

1. zero

2. zero

3. $3272

4. zero

5. $3697

In 2018

line 11 was zero

line 12 was zero

line 16 was $3513

line 18 $3513

Last year I got $3513 back and the previously 3 years were about the same.  This year it is showing $425

When I look at page 1 of 1 on both years total tax is $3272 this year and zero previous years?  

I have double checked all my entries.

[BillM223]

Those are unusual numbers.

Your taxable income is $0 but your total tax is $3,272?

What are the values in lines 12b, 13a, 13b, 14, and 15?

[flogreg2]

From the Tax History Report in my 2019 print:

2015 18,816       2016 $18,233     2017 $16,670      2018 $19,844     2019 $22,000

2015 zero            2016 zero            2017  zero            2018 zero             2019 zero

2015 $3377        2016 $3362         2017 $3462        2018 $3513          2019 $3272

2015 zero            2016 zero            2017 zero            2018 $3513          2019 zero

2015 zero            2016 zero            2017 zero            2018 $3513          2019 $3697

[BillM223]

According to what you have types, there is a $3k difference for line 18e (refundable credits) between 2017 to 2018 and 2018 to 2019. Why is that?

I still would like to know "What are the values in lines 12b, 13a, 13b, 14, and 15?"

Finally, I don't see the number $425 anywhere. Does this number even appear on your return?