Things You'll Need:
- Publication 972 Child Tax Credit worksheet page four
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Step 1
Fill out your federal income tax return up to the part about the child tax credit. You need to stop at this line and use the worksheet in Publication 972 to figure your credit. Open Publication 972 to page four for the worksheet.
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Step 2
Enter your number of qualifying children and multiply that number by $1,000. Enter that total in box 1.
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Step 3
Enter the amount on line 38 (1040), line 22 (1040A) or line 36 (1040NR) into box two of the worksheet.
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Step 4
Enter any amounts you have on line 18 (2555-EZ), lines 50 or 45 (2555) or line 15 (4563) if you are a 1040 filer and use these forms. If you use 1040NR or 1040A, you will enter zero in box three of the worksheet.
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Step 5
Add lines two and three together and enter the total in box four. In box five, enter the amount shown on the worksheet that meets your filing status. For box six, answer whether or not line four is more than line five. If you answer no, you do not enter anything in box six. You will enter zero in box seven. If you answer yes, you will follow the directions and enter that amount in box six.
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Step 6
Multiply line six by .05 (5 percent) and enter the amount in box seven. If box one is not more than the amount in box seven, you cannot take the credit. If it is more than box seven, subtract box seven from box one and enter that amount in box eight. Then continue to the second part of the worksheet.
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Step 7
Enter the amount from line 46 (1040), line 28 (1040A) or line 43 (1040NR) in box nine.
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Step 8
Figure box 10 by entering the information from your 1040 (lines 47, 48, 49, 50 and 51), 1040A (29, 30, 31, 32) or 1040NP (44, 45, 46). Add up the totals and enter the amount in box 10.
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Step 9
Answer the questions in the next section and enter the amount in box 11. Then subtract box 11 from box nine and enter that total in box 12. Complete the worksheet by answering the question for box 13 and enter the appropriate amount in box 13 and on your federal return.
