Girlfriend accidentally disqualified from Child Tax Credit - How to fix?

You need to file an amended return (Form 1040-X) to correct this error. The good news is that this is a fixable situation. Even though TurboTax doesn't have their amendment tool ready yet, you have options. You can either wait until they update their system (usually by mid-April), use another tax preparation software that allows amendments, or complete Form 1040-X manually. The sooner you submit the correction, the sooner the IRS can process it and release the additional refund amount your girlfriend is entitled to.

Wait, I'm confused. How did she accidentally select that her child is "unable to work due to their social security card"? That doesn't even make sense as an option! Are you sure that's what the error was? I've used TurboTax for years and never seen that specific wording. Could it be that she selected something about the child not having a valid SSN or something else? The exact error matters because it affects how you need to fix it!

I dealt with almost this exact situation on February 12th this year. Called the IRS for three days straight with no luck getting through. Finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed I needed to file an amended return and explained exactly what sections needed correction. They also noted in my file that an amendment was coming, which apparently can help speed things up. If you're in a hurry to get this sorted, I'd recommend trying that service instead of wasting days trying to reach someone.

Just to clarify some misinformation I'm seeing - the option you're describing sounds like the checkbox for "this dependent doesn't have a valid SSN/ITIN for work purposes." This is typically used for dependents who have an ITIN instead of an SSN, or for certain non-resident aliens. According to IRS.gov/childtaxcredit, a qualifying child must have a valid SSN to qualify for the full Child Tax Credit. Without it, you get the $500 Other Dependent Credit instead. You should check if this was the actual error before filing an amendment. Look at the actual return and see what was selected on Form 8812.

Has your girlfriend tried calling the IRS directly? Sometimes they can help resolve these issues without a formal amendment if it's early enough.

I made this exact mistake last year! Here's what I did to fix it: 1. First, I waited about 2 weeks until TurboTax updated their system to allow amendments for 2023 returns 2. I logged back into my TurboTax account and selected the option to amend my return 3. I went to the section about dependents and corrected the information about my child's SSN status 4. TurboTax recalculated everything automatically and showed me the difference 5. I submitted the amendment electronically 6. About 12 weeks later, I received the additional refund amount The whole process was pretty straightforward once TurboTax updated their system. The hardest part was just being patient waiting for the additional refund!