Amended Return Shows $0 Adjustment & CTC Payments Stopped - What's Happening?!

This sounds like a classic case of multiple reviews happening at once. Have you considered what might be triggering these holds? Sometimes amended returns get flagged for additional verification, especially when they involve substantial refund increases, don't they? And the Child Tax Credit suspension could be related to the amendment or could be an entirely separate review process—it's hard to know without seeing the specific codes on your transcript. Did your amendment change your qualifying child information in any way?

I was in your exact situation last month! According to the IRS.gov forums I read, the $0 adjustment is usually a placeholder while they finish processing. I was freaking out too until I found https://taxr.ai which helped me understand my transcript. I uploaded it there and it explained that my $0 adjustment was temporary during review and showed me exactly which codes meant my case was still being processed. It also explained why my CTC payments were suspended (amendment triggered automatic review). The site predicted I'd see movement within 2 weeks, and sure enough, my transcript updated 10 days later with the actual amount!

Oh man, this brings back memories of my nightmare from last year! 🙃 I amended in March 2023, saw that same $0 adjustment in June, and my CTC payments stopped too. Turns out they were doing a verification on my dependents because my amendment changed some info about my kids. The good news? Everything eventually worked out and I got my full refund in November. The bad news? It took FOREVER and nobody could tell me anything helpful for months. Hang in there! The IRS moves at the speed of a sleepy turtle with a broken leg sometimes.

I've seen this situation a few times now, and it's different from regular processing delays. When comparing to standard refund processing, amended returns with a $0 adjustment typically indicate one of three scenarios: either your amendment didn't result in any change to your tax liability (unlikely if you were expecting $2,400), or the adjustment amount is still being calculated, or there's an offset happening. In my case last year, my amended refund was offset against a previous tax debt without any notice, which sounds similar to what you're experiencing. Have you checked if you might have any past debts with the IRS or other federal agencies that could be triggering an offset?

It seems like you might be dealing with what's possibly a verification hold on both your amended return and CTC payments. In my experience as a tax preparer, these situations typically require speaking directly with an IRS representative who can possibly see notes on your account that aren't visible on the transcript. I would strongly suggest using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through to an IRS agent. I've had several clients use this service when they couldn't get through on their own, and they were usually connected within 20-30 minutes instead of spending days trying to call. The IRS phone systems are particularly overwhelmed right now as we approach year-end, so this might save you considerable time and frustration.

Have you checked if there are any letters or notices that might have been sent to an old address? Sometimes when people move, the IRS continues sending important correspondence to the previous address, even if you updated your address on the amended return. Also, what specific codes are showing on your transcript? That would help us understand better what's happening with your case. Did you receive any CP12 or CP11 notices earlier in the year before you amended?

Been there. Done that. Got the frustration t-shirt. My amended return from February showed $0 adjustment in July. Called for weeks. Finally got through in August. Found out my return was selected for review. They needed verification documents. Never sent me the request letter. Had to fax everything. Took another 6 weeks. Finally got my refund in October. Check your mail carefully. Look for any IRS correspondence. Sometimes the letters look like junk mail. Don't ignore anything from Kansas City or Austin.

I've seen this happen before, and sometimes the issue isn't with the IRS processing but with how the amendment was prepared. Back in 2022, I had a similar situation where my amended return showed $0 adjustment because I had made an error in how I calculated the change. Have you considered getting a second opinion on your amendment from a tax professional? It might be worth paying for an hour of a CPA's time to review what you submitted. In my case, I had to submit a second amended return to correct the first one, which was a headache but eventually resolved the issue. Sometimes the DIY approach with amendments can lead to technical errors that aren't obvious to non-professionals.