Why does Form 8812 require an entry even when taxpayer has no dependents?

[Henry1]

This form was not required on the 2020 software if the taxpayer had no dependents?  Is this form not final yet?

[TaxGuyBill]

Just because the taxpayer doesn't have dependents this year does not mean they did not have dependents in 2019 or 2020 (which is when the Advance payments were based on).  So the program still needs to ask if any Advance credit was received.

[IRonMaN]

It's to keep anybody from saying "oh crap, I forgot to check".

[rbynaker]

Yeah, this one is darned if you do and danged if you don't.  If they didn't activate the 8812 we'd have people here complaining "why didn't the software remind me to enter the ACTC my client received for his every-other-year dependents?"

It seems fairly easy to make it go away and I'd rather my clients get the "you have to repay this" surprise from me than the love letter from the IRS months from now.

[Henry1 · Accepted solution]

I agree.  Thanks for your help!