Who claims child tax credits when I filed joint last year but single (divorced) this year?

[hcrosswell]

Married filing joint for 2021, but divorced during the course of the year. Ex and I are filing single, but she will be claiming all dependent children. Child tax credit issued in my name (sole income for 2020). I'm not eligible, but she is. How do we claim it without issue?

[Critter-3]

Ok ... if you filed a joint return for 2020 then you EACH got 1/2 of the advance CTC and the IRS is mailing you EACH a letter 6419 with that very information on it.   If you were divorced in 2021 then the person claiming the children on their return will get the FULL CTC on their return less the 1/2 they already got in advance.   The other person, even if they are not claiming a child this year, MUST report their 1/2 of the advance  they got on their return and may need to pay back all or some of the advance based on their income level.  

[xmasbaby0 · Accepted solution]

Since you divorced before 2021 ended,  you cannot file any sort of married return.   You say you will file Single.   If "mom" has the children she may be able to file as Head of Household.   She can claim the kids and she will get the full child tax credit on her own tax return.   And....sorry...but you may have to pay back the advance payments that came in your name unless your AGI allows you to keep it.  You will get a letter 6419 and it MUST be entered.

The IRS is sending out letter 6419 to you.  It will show the amount of advance child tax credit that you received during 2021.  Enter the information from that letter carefully.   The remaining amount of CTC that you can receive will show up on line 28 of your 2021 Form 1040.

PREVIEW 1040

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

Click on Tax Tools on the left side of the screen. Click on Tools. Click on View Tax Summary. Click on Preview my 1040 on the left side of the screen.

NOTE:   The CTC is indeed a “credit” that can be applied toward any tax liability that you would otherwise have to pay as “tax due”  to the IRS.