If you’re married and filing taxes jointly, you and your spouse will each receive a letter from the IRS. Once you both get the notice, you’ll need to combine that information when you file your tax return. Tax Act’s Vice President of Tax Operations Mark Jaeger told CNET there’s been confusion with both parents receiving a letter and only entering the information from one letter. Doing this could delay your refund. Plus, you’ll likely have to file an amended return to receive the rest of your money.
This is a similar complication for married parents filing jointly who opted out of the child tax credit. Both parents needed to unenroll separately to stop receiving payment altogether. If only one opted out, the other would still receive a partial payment.
If the details on the form still seem off when combining letters, read on to see what else it could be.
Did you move at the end of 2021? If so, that could be why your letter from the IRS has inaccurate figures. The IRS says those who moved in December could be among those with erroneous information because their final child tax credit check may have been returned as undeliverable.
Did you switch to a new bank account in December? That could’ve caused your IRS letter details to be wrong. The IRS says people who changed bank accounts in December are among those affected. This is because the direct deposits were likely rejected since the older bank account had been closed.
If the details on your child tax credit letter aren’t correct, wait for further instructions from the IRS. The agency said it is working to provide people with the updated information they need to file their taxes.
