Some Colorado customers might not have claimed the Child Care Expense Credit on their 2021 state taxes, which may have caused an overpayment of their Colorado taxes.
To find out if you’re owed an additional refund, compare your refund/balance due amount from your original return with what you see now in TurboTax. Sign in to the TurboTax account you used to prepare your 2021 tax return. If your refund/balance due amount has changed, we recommend you amend your state tax return.
To amend your return, follow the instructions below.
TurboTax Online
- Note the original refund or balance due amount for your 2021 Colorado income taxes. We recommend you check the paper/PDF copy of your return, or your banking records, to verify the correct amount.
- Sign in to the TurboTax account you used to prepare your 2021 return.
- In Tax Home, find Your tax returns & documents, and choose 2021.
- If you have not already done so, we recommend that you print a copy of your original 2021 tax return for your records by selecting Download/print return.
- Select Amend (change) return and then select Amend Using TurboTax Online.
- Check your refund/balance due on your return:
- If the amount is the same as what you noted in step 1, the child care expense credit was calculated correctly and no amendment is needed. You may stop here.
- If the amount is different, you will need to amend your state return to receive your child care expense credit.
- On the OK, let’s get a kickstart on your 2021 amended return screen, choose TurboTax sent me an email, and Continue.
- Answer Something else, when asked What did we contact you about?, and Continue.
- Choose 2021 Colorado return on the Tell us which 2021 return(s) you want to amend screen, and Continue.
- Your state refund/balance due tracker will usually reset to $0. This is normal.
- Continue on the Let’s get your state taxes done right screen.
- On the Let’s amend your state taxes screen, select Amend next to Colorado.
- Select Yes, let’s amend and get it done (Recommended) on the Let’s Amend Your Colorado Return screen, and Continue.
- Enter the amount based on what you recorded in step 1 on the Enter Previous Refund or Tax Paid screen, and Continue.
- On the About Your Colorado Amended Return screen, find the Explanation of Changes section and enter TO CLAIM CHILD CARE EXPENSES CREDIT, then Continue.
- Select Yes, I’ve entered everything and let’s review on the Let’s Make Sure You’re Ready to Review screen, and Continue.
- Continue through the Smart Check Results screen.
- On the We’ll run a completecheck scan to finalize screen, select Check my info.
- Select Continue on the You’re good to go! screen. You'll see a screen with your amended return results. Select Continue.
- Continue on the Great job so far! screen.
- On the Just one more step and we’ll file your return screen, select Start by Step 3 then continue through the screens to e-file your Colorado amended return.
- Once your tax return has been printed, you need to sign, date, and mail the amended return. The mailing address and refund amount is included on the File by Mail Instructions for your 2021 State Amended Tax Return.
- Be sure to Print and Save the amended return for your records.
TurboTax Desktop
- Note the original refund or balance due amount for your 2021 Colorado income taxes. We recommend you check the paper/PDF copy of your return, or your banking records, to verify the correct amount.
- Launch TurboTax and open your 2021 return.
- Before you make any changes, select File and Save As... then add Amended 2021 return to the file name to preserve your original return.
- Select Online and Check for Updates. Allow the program to update if any are available.
- Check your refund/balance due on your return:
- If the amount is the same as you noted in step 1, the child care expense credit was calculated correctly and no amendment is needed. You may stop here.
- If the amount is different, you will need to amend your Colorado tax return to receive the child care expense credit.
- Select the Personal tab, and then the Other Tax Situations tab. Find Other Tax Forms section and select Start next to Amend a return.
- On the We’ll help you change (amend) your return screen, select Continue.
- Answer Yes, I’ve already filed my return on the Did you already file your return? screen, then select I was contacted by TurboTax and told I may need to amend for some other reason and Continue.
- The refund meters will reset to -0-. This is normal.
- On the What do you need to change on your return? screen, select Update next to State Return.
- Select Continue on the Let’s work on your state return screen.
- On the Your State Returns screen, select Edit next to Colorado.
- Select Yes, let’s amend and get it done (Recommended) on the Let’s Amend Your Colorado Return screen, and Continue.
- Enter the amount based on what you recorded in step 1 on the Enter Previous Refund or Tax Paid screen, and Continue.
- On the About Your Colorado Amended Return screen, find the Explanation of Changes section and enter TO CLAIM CHILD CARE EXPENSES CREDIT, then Continue.
- Select Yes, I’ve entered everything and let’s review on the Let’s Make Sure You’re Ready to Review screen, and Continue.
- On the Smart Check Complete screen, select Continue.
- On the You’re Done with 2021 Colorado screen, select Done With States.
- On the Let’s make sure your taxes are correct screen, select Continue.
- Your federal 1040-X will appear on the Check This Entry screen. Select Continue, then Done, and Continue again.
- No changes are being made to the federal return.
- On the You’re Done! Print and Mail Your Returns screen, follow the instructions to print and save your amended return.
- Once your tax return has been printed, you need to sign, date, and mail the amended return. The mailing address and refund amount is included on the File by Mail Instructions for your 2021 State Amended Tax Return.
- Be sure to Print and Save the amended return for your records.
TurboTax has experts available to answer your questions by calling 844-333-2161 (Monday–Friday, 6 AM to 6 PM MT). When you speak with an expert, just mention Colorado Child Care Expense Credit so they know exactly what you’re calling about.
