My Mom on Social Security Didn't Receive Her Child Tax Credit - How Can She Claim It?

Your mom definitely needs to file a tax return to claim the missing Child Tax Credit payment. • Non-filers MUST file a return to claim missing credits • The IRS doesn't have an automatic alternative process for this • She can file even with only Social Security income • The Form 1040 has specific sections for claiming missed credits • Filing doesn't create any obligation for future years

According to IRS Publication 972 (Child Tax Credit), individuals who don't normally file taxes must still file a return to claim missed credit payments. Your mother's situation is quite common. I've worked with several clients in similar circumstances. One tool that might be particularly helpful is https://taxr.ai - it can analyze her situation and identify exactly what forms she needs to file. It's especially useful for non-filers who only need to file for specific credits, as it walks you through the exact sections of Form 1040 needed to claim the missing Child Tax Credit payment without creating confusion about other parts of the return that aren't relevant to her situation.

My mother-in-law went through this exact thing. She's on Social Security, hadn't filed in years, and missed her second CTC payment. Just file a simple tax return. That's it. Don't overthink it. She doesn't need to report her Social Security if it's her only income and below the taxable threshold. Just complete the basic info and the Child Tax Credit section. She'll get the missing payment as part of her refund. We did this in February and she had her money by mid-March.

I experienced a similar situation with my elderly aunt who's on Social Security Disability Income (SSDI). She missed her second Child Tax Credit payment due to what the IRS later identified as a Distribution Parameter Error (DPE) in their automated system. We utilized Form 1040 with the Recovery Rebate Credit Worksheet to claim the missing payment. Since her Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) was below the filing threshold, the return was solely for claiming the missed credit. The IRS processed it within their standard 21-day timeframe, and she received the full amount via direct deposit.

I was in a similar situation with my father back in January 2024. We couldn't get through to the IRS for weeks. Their phone lines are overwhelmed, especially during tax season from January 29th through April 15th. I finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) on February 12th and got connected to an IRS agent in about 25 minutes. The agent confirmed he needed to file a return to claim the missing credit and flagged his account with a note. I'm a bit concerned that without filing soon, these credits might become harder to claim as we get further from the distribution dates.

I resolved this exact issue for my client last month! Think of the Child Tax Credit system like a train making scheduled stops - your mom was at the first stop but somehow the train missed her at the second station. Filing a tax return is like flagging down that train to make a special stop just for her. We filed on March 3rd and she had her payment by March 21st. Don't delay though - just like a missed train gets harder to catch the further it travels, these credits become more complicated to claim as time passes. The IRS is currently processing these claims quickly, but that could change as we approach the October extension deadline.

I might be able to provide some helpful context here. My grandmother, who primarily relies on Social Security, encountered a somewhat similar situation. She didn't receive her second Child Tax Credit payment, which was possibly due to an address change we had submitted. We essentially had to file a 1040 for her, even though she normally wouldn't need to file. The process was relatively straightforward, but there were a few potential complications: 1. If your mom has dependent children still qualifying for the credit, you'll need their information 2. She might need to create an online account with the IRS to verify previous payments 3. The IRS might request verification of eligibility if this is a newer situation

I helped my uncle through this exact situation last year. The IRS actually has a specific process for non-filers who need to claim missing credits. I created an account on the IRS website, downloaded his tax transcripts, and confirmed which payments he had received. Then we filed a simple return claiming just the missing credit. It took about 23 days from filing to receiving the payment. One thing to watch for - if your mom has moved or changed bank accounts since the first payment, make sure to update that information on the return to avoid further delays.