| Publication 972 |
2003 Tax Year |
Publication 972
Introductory Material
This is archived information that pertains only to the 2003 Tax Year. If you
are looking for information for the current tax year, go to the Tax Prep Help Area.
Important Changes
Child tax credit increased. For 2003, the maximum child tax credit is increased to $1,000 for each qualifying child. But you must reduce your credit by
any advance payment you
received in 2003.
Advance payment of child tax credit. Advance payments of the increase in the child tax credit were made to some individuals in 2003. If you received an advance
payment, you will need
to reduce the credit you can claim on your return by the advance payment you already received. For details, see Advance Child Tax Credit
Payment on page 3.
Important Reminder
Photographs of missing children. The Internal Revenue Service is a proud partner with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Photographs of
missing children
selected by the Center may appear in this publication on pages that would otherwise be blank. You can help bring these children
home by looking at the
photographs and calling 1–800–THE–LOST (1–800–843–5678) if you recognize a child.
Introduction
The purpose of this publication is:
-
To figure the child tax credit you claim on Form 1040, line 49, or Form 1040A, line 33, and
-
To figure the amount of taxable earned income you enter on line 4 of Form 8812, Additional Child Tax Credit.
This publication is intended primarily for individuals sent here by the instructions to Forms 1040, 1040A, and 8812. Even
if you were not sent here
by the instructions to one of the forms, you can still choose to use this publication to figure your credit. However, most
individuals can use the
simpler worksheet in their tax form instructions.
This publication includes a detailed example of a taxpayer who figures the child tax credit and the additional child tax credit.
If you were sent here from your Form 1040 or Form 1040A instructions.
Go to page 4 of this publication and complete the Child Tax Credit Worksheet.
If you were sent here from your Form 8812 instructions.
Go to page 8 of this publication and complete the 1040 Filers – Taxable Earned Income Worksheet.
If you have not read your Form 1040 or Form 1040A instructions.
Read on the next page the explanation of who must use this publication. If you find that you are not required to use
this publication to figure
your child tax credit, you can use the simpler worksheet in the Form 1040 or Form 1040A instructions to figure your credit.
Who must use this publication?
If you answer “Yes” to any of the following questions, you must use this publication to figure your child tax credit.
-
Are you excluding income from Puerto Rico or are you filing any of the following forms?
-
Form 2555 or 2555-EZ (relating to foreign earned income)
-
Form 4563 (exclusion of income for residents of American Samoa)
-
Is the amount on Form 1040, line 35, or Form 1040A, line 22, more than the amount shown below for your filing status?
-
Married filing jointly – $110,000
-
Single, head of household, or qualifying widow(er) – $75,000
-
Married filing separately – $55,000
-
Are you claiming any of the following credits?
-
Adoption credit, Form 8839
-
Mortgage interest credit, Form 8396
-
District of Columbia first-time homebuyer credit, Form 8859
Comments and suggestions.
We welcome your comments about this publication and your suggestions for future editions.
You can e-mail us at *tax.forms.irs.gov. Please put “Publications comment” on the subject line.
You can write to us at the following address:
Internal Revenue Service
Individual Forms and Publications Branch
SE:W:CAR:MP:T:I
1111 Constitution Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20224
We respond to many letters by telephone. Therefore, it would be helpful if you would include your daytime phone number,
including the area code, in
your correspondence.
Publications Index | 2003 Tax Help Archives | Tax Help Archives | Home
| 
