Child Tax Credit Portal: IRS Warns of Wrong Amounts — Here’s What You Should Do
As if the IRS doesn’t have enough problems with staff shortages and a backlog of returns, now it must deal with potential headaches surrounding enhanced Child Tax Credit payments. The agency recently issued a warning that its CTC portal might have wrong amounts and outdated information.
Child Tax Credit: You Could Get a Double Payment in February — Here’s Why
More CTC: How To Claim the Full Amount On Your 2021 Taxes
As GOBankingRates previously reported, an IRS fact sheet released Jan. 28 urged people to use the information on their individual online taxpayer accounts for the most accurate figures when preparing their taxes and claiming the CTC. That’s because certain information provided by the CTC portal could be out of date.
“You can find the advance child tax credit payment information you need to file your 2021 tax return in your online account,” the IRS said in a news release. “Until then, use the amount in Letter 6419 sent by mail. Don’t use the payment details in the child tax credit portal.”
However, some of those letters aren’t accurate either. As Accounting Today reported, the IRS started getting questions on Jan. 24 — the first day of tax season — about why some of the letters seemed to have incorrect CTC amounts. The problem mainly applies to taxpayers who have changed addresses and whose payments weren’t delivered, or where direct deposits failed to work because taxpayers changed bank accounts.
Married couples who file jointly should pay special attention to their CTC notices. That’s because the letters are being sent to both spouses separately, meaning you and your spouse will need to combine the information from both letters when you file your return. If one or both letters contain inaccuracies, check your IRS Online Account for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
“For the majority of taxpayers, the advance payments total in Letter 6419 will match the total in the IRS Online Account,” the IRS said in a press release. “If the advance payments total differs between their Letter 6419 and their IRS Online Account, they should rely on the total in their Online Account…Submitting a different amount on the tax return could mean additional IRS review is needed and could mean a refund delay.”
See: Everything You Need To Know About the Child Tax Credit Before Filing Taxes This Year
Teens & Taxes: I Received a Child Tax Credit for My College Student – Do They Need to File Taxes?
The Online Account includes the official figures in the IRS system, the IRS said. Taxpayers should be careful to include the exact amount of the advance CTC payments they received last year when filing their tax returns.
More From GOBankingRates
GOBankingRates’ Best Banks of 2022: Live Richer by Banking Better
Bank Accounts That Will Help Supplement and Grow Your Social Security
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Child Tax Credit Portal: IRS Warns of Wrong Amounts — Here’s What You Should Do
