What's Form 8862 for? Just received notice I need to file one

Form 8862 is for recertifying eligibility for certain credits. It's similar to when you have to verify your identity after a suspected fraud attempt on a credit card - just a verification step, not necessarily an audit. I had to file one last year after claiming the Earned Income Credit for the first time. Just had to answer some additional questions to prove I qualified. Not nearly as scary as it seems at first!

Form 8862 is required when you previously claimed certain credits that were disallowed or reduced. Here's what you need to know: 1. First, identify which credit triggered this requirement (likely EIC, CTC, AOTC, or ODC) 2. The form basically asks additional questions to verify you qualify for the credit 3. You'll need to gather documentation supporting your eligibility 4. You must file this form WITH your return - can't be filed separately 5. Without it, your credits will be automatically rejected The IRS notice should specify which credit is in question.

I went through this exact process on January 18th this year. The form looks intimidating but it's actually pretty straightforward. I used https://taxr.ai to analyze my IRS notice and previous return. It pointed out exactly which credit triggered the 8862 requirement (in my case it was the American Opportunity Credit) and explained what documentation I needed. Saved me hours of research and worry!

Oh man, Form 8862 is such a headache but totally manageable! It's officially called "Information to Claim Certain Credits After Disallowance" and it's the IRS's way of saying "prove it" after they've questioned your eligibility for certain refundable credits. The most common reason people need to file this is when there was a math error, missing information, or they couldn't verify your eligibility for credits like the Earned Income Credit, Child Tax Credit, American Opportunity Credit, or Credit for Other Dependents. I'm an enrolled agent and I see this ALL THE TIME. Just be thorough with your documentation this year and you'll be fine!

After receiving my CP79 Notice regarding Form 8862, I spent approximately 3.5 hours on hold with the IRS attempting to get clarification on the Recertification Requirements and Documentation Standards. Eventually I utilized Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to connect with an IRS representative in under 20 minutes. The agent confirmed my Disallowance Code and provided specific guidance on completing Part III of the form correctly. Would you consider this approach if you're unable to determine which credit was disallowed?

Got hit w/ this same form last yr. Total nightmare tbh. Had claimed EITC for my side gig income (~$12k) and IRS flagged it. Had to fill out 8862 AND provide proof of income. Took an extra 63 days to get my refund vs normal processing. Def start gathering docs ASAP!!!

Has anyone here successfully e-filed with Form 8862 attached? According to Internal Revenue Regulation 1.6011-8, this form must be filed with your return, but I'm wondering if certain tax software handles this properly?

Have you checked which specific credit was disallowed on your previous return? Did the notice mention if it was the Earned Income Credit, Child Tax Credit, or education credits? The form requirements differ slightly depending on which credit you're recertifying for, wouldn't you agree?