Why did I only get $2400 in stimulus money when I should be getting $2900. I filed a return which clearly shows my wife, my son and myself on the return.

[Opus 17]

Your child does not qualify if their 17th birthday will be on or before December 31, 2020.

The stimulus is an advance payment of a new credit that will be on the 2020 tax return.  Early payments are based on 2018 or 2019 information to get the money sent out faster.  The credit will be recalculated on your 2020 tax return.  If you are owed more than you got now, the extra will be added to your 2020 refund.  (If you qualify for less than you got now, you don't have to repay it.)

Since a child does not qualify for the extra payment if they turned 17 before the end of the year, and since the year that counts is 2020, the IRS will work back from the child's birthdate, so children who are 16 now but will turn 17 before December 31 don't qualify.  If your child is younger than that and the IRS made a mistake, you should qualify to have the additional $500 added to next year's refund. 

[MinhT1]

The IRS is required to mail a written notice to taxpayers no later than 15 days after distributing an Economic Impact Payment. This notice to the taxpayer will indicate the payment amount, whether the payment was mailed or direct deposited, and a phone number to call if the taxpayer did not receive the payment. The payment should be received  before any communication from the IRS is received by mail.

You can call the number indicated in the IRS letter to inquire about the missing amount.

[user19626219]

What does turning 17 have to do with anything. He is still a minor and still dependent on me to take care of him. That is one strange rule most likely completely based in GREED. 

[Opus 17]

---

@user19626219 wrote:

What does turning 17 have to do with anything. He is still a minor and still dependent on me to take care of him. That is one strange rule most likely completely based in GREED. 

---

The enhanced $2000 child tax credit also ends when a child turns 17.  Older dependents only qualify their parents for a $500 dependent credit.  Some version of the age 17 rule has been in place for at least 20 years, it was most recently revised in the 2018 tax reform.  When Congress created and passed the emergency COVID stimulus payments, they used the same qualification rules for the stimulus payment as for the child tax credit.  You should contact your representative and senators if you disagree. 

[user19626219]

One of my senators is Marsha Blackburn and she is as evil as it gets and has been voted the most corrupt member of congress when she was in congress.   Now she is a senator, what a strange world we live in.

[Anonymous]

FYI there are many unfair provisions in the tax laws.  Different people have different views on whether or not a provison is unfair.  I don't have any dependents but do agree this limitation was stupid. 

[user19626219]

It's just weird that for some unknown reason they decided to take a deduction / money from the people that need it most. I have 3 sons and one stepdaughter ranging in age from 16-36 and I know for a fact the older they get the more money it cost to raise them.  my wife and I along with our 16 year old son and 3 year old grandson all live on very little money so when you out of the blue loose $500 just because congress decided to play with what a dependents age is for tax purposes only is beyond me.  Of coarse once you look into how the voting districts are drawn up and what they actually look like it is no surprise. 

[VolvoGirl]

You really didn't "loose" anything.  The whole amount 1,200 each plus 500 for a child is free money and wasn't expected.  And it is not taxable.