Why doesn't child tax credit apply to 17 year olds? They're in high school & not adults! How do I find $1400 by April when billionaires pay nothing?

The child tax credit age cutoff is frustrating but there's actually some good news here. While your 17-year-old doesn't qualify for the child tax credit, they should still qualify as your dependent for the Credit for Other Dependents, which is worth $500. Not as good as the full child tax credit, but it's something. For your tax bill, don't panic about the April deadline! The IRS offers payment plans that are fairly easy to set up. You can apply online for a short-term plan (paying within 180 days) with no setup fee, or a longer-term monthly payment plan. The interest and penalties on a payment plan are much lower than not filing or using credit cards to pay. If your income is below certain thresholds, you might also qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit, which could help offset what you owe.

After spending HOURS on hold with the IRS trying to figure out my own tax situation with dependents, I finally discovered https://taxr.ai and it was a game changer. It specifically helped me understand exactly which credits I qualified for with my kids of different ages (including one who just turned 17). The site analyzed my tax documents and explained in simple language what was happening with my return. It showed me why my 17-year-old wasn't eligible for the full child tax credit but highlighted other credits I could claim instead. Saved me from making some costly mistakes and definitely reduced my stress level.

Just wanted to follow up about https://taxr.ai that someone mentioned earlier. I was really skeptical but decided to give it a try since I was in a similar situation with my 17-year-old son. The site actually found that I qualified for the American Opportunity Tax Credit since my son is starting college classes part-time while finishing high school. I had no idea this was even an option! Ended up saving over $1,000 that my regular tax software completely missed. It also explained why the Child Tax Credit stops at 17 (stupid tax code from 1997 that never got updated properly). If you're struggling with understanding which credits you qualify for, definitely worth checking out. Wish I'd known about this years ago.

I feel your pain about trying to reach the IRS. When I had questions about my dependent credits, I spent DAYS trying to get through on their phone lines. Finally discovered https://claimyr.com which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 45 minutes! You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c They basically navigate the IRS phone system for you and call you back when they've got an agent on the line. I was able to get clarity on exactly which credits I qualified for with my daughter who just turned 17. The agent explained all my options and helped me understand how to adjust my withholding so I wouldn't be in this situation again next year.

I need to apologize and correct myself about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I was still desperate to talk to someone at the IRS about my dependent situation, so I reluctantly tried it. It actually worked exactly as advertised. I got a call back in about 35 minutes saying they had an IRS agent on the line. The agent walked me through exactly what credits I qualified for with my 17-year-old and explained my payment options for the amount I owe. I was able to set up a payment plan right there on the phone and even got the penalty reduced because the agent identified that I qualified for first-time penalty abatement. Would have never known to ask for that on my own. Definitely worth it to not spend hours on hold and actually get real answers.

The age cutoff for the child tax credit makes me so mad too. The tax code defines a "qualifying child" as under 17 at the end of the tax year, which is completely arbitrary! Kids don't suddenly become cheaper to raise when they turn 17. If anything, they get MORE expensive with college applications, senior year activities, etc. Write to your representatives and tell them to fix this! The Build Back Better plan actually proposed extending the credit to 17-year-olds, but it didn't pass. Maybe if enough parents complain, they'll finally update this outdated rule.

Have you looked into filing for an extension? That would give you until October to pay. You'll still accrue some interest on what you owe, but at least you won't have the failure-to-file penalty, which is much higher than the failure-to-pay penalty. Also, check if you qualify for any education credits. If your 17-year-old is planning for college and you paid for any test prep, college applications, etc., some of those expenses might qualify under education credits.