IRS Letter 6419: How Do I Report My Child Tax Credit Payments?

Now that the tax season is about to start, you must be collecting your tax documents to file your taxes. While doing this, keep an eye out for IRS Letter 6419. The IRS is planning to send this important notice in late January to those who received Advance Child Tax Credit Payments in 2021.

You may ask, why is this letter so important? The details in the document will not only help you report your advance payments correctly—it will also help you claim the other half of your Child Tax Credit that is still pending. Additionally, by reporting the amount reported in IRS Letter 6419, you can avoid delays in processing and sending your refund that might arise due to mismatch in amount.

So let’s dig deeper into what is the IRS Letter 6419 and what you can do in case you didn’t receive this letter or lost it.

What is a Letter 6419?

The IRS Letter 6419 is the official documentation that has the details you need to report your advance Child Tax Credit (CTC) payments.

Specifically, it will show you:

• The total amount of advance CTC payments you received for 2021. This information will go on Schedule 8812, line 14f or 15e as applicable.
• Number of qualifying children counted in determining the advance CTC

In addition to the details above, the letter 6419 will also outline how the IRS calculated your amount and the conditions for repayment. You can also find those details here in our 2021 Child Tax Credit article.

Do I Really Need the 6419 Letter to File My Taxes or Can I Just Use My Bank Statement?

As such it is not required for you to have the IRS Letter 6419 but we would strongly encourage you to reference IRS Letter 6419 before you file your taxes. Using incorrect amounts on your return can trigger a manual review of your return, which can result in a possible delay in processing your return—and a refund for weeks.

Also, using your bank statements may not be the best route. In some cases, amounts may have been adjusted due do a variety of reasons, including if the processing of a 2020 return after an initial advance CTC payment was made.  Or, the amounts may have changed from one payment to the next as you made changes in the IRS Child Tax Credit portal.

Ready to file but don’t have your IRS Letter 6419? Read on to learn about using the IRS Child Tax Credit portal as an alternative.

Who Will Receive the IRS Letter 6419?

Anyone who received at least one advance Child Tax Credit payment from July 2021 to December 2021 will receive the IRS Letter 6419. So, even if you stopped payments after receiving your first or second payment, you should still expect to receive a letter.

In case of ‘Married’ filers, both spouses will receive their own IRS Letter 6419. You’ll need to have both documents to file an accurate return and claim the second half of your credit.

Help, I Can’t Find My IRS Letter 6419.

If you’re ready to file, but don’t have your letter, there is an alternative. You can use the IRS Child Tax Credit portal with an ID.me account to verify the details from the letter.

Here’s how to check your advance child tax credit payments:

• Create a new ID.me account (if you don’t have one) by going to: https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal
• Click Manage Advance Payments
• Click ID.me Create New Account
• Follow the on-screen instructions to provide information to set up the secure ID.me account. Note that users may be asked to create a live video of themselves (using phone or webcam) and/or upload photo identification.

Once you’ve created an ID.me account, you can access the portal at the link directly above.

Need Help Reporting Advance Child Tax Credit Payments?

Need help filing your IRS letter 6475, NexGen Taxes team of fully vetted accounting and tax professionals can help you report the advance payments you received in 2021 and help you claim the second half of your Child Tax Credit payment on your return. We are here for you 24/7, reach out to us today.