Tax preparers are bracing for a long and confusing tax season because of all those stimulus checks and child tax credit checks that went out last year.
Many people didn't get all the government money they were entitled to and now's the time to claim them.
Lesa Strull is a mom of two children who said she didn't receive all her child tax credit checks last year.
"I got the first one. I believe there were four, starting in July, and come November there was nothing," Strull said.
No answers from the IRS and no more money in her account.
Tax accountants said they are already getting a lot of questions about the child tax credit because for a lot of families, it was like getting part of your tax refund six months early.
CPA Roy Mitchell said if you didn't get all you were owed, which could have been up to $3,600 per child, now is the time to claim it.
You can also claim a missing stimulus check or two.
"The short answer, there will be some place on there to make that claim, yes," said Mitchell.
But Mitchell is bracing for a lot of confusion from taxpayers wondering why their refund is a thousand dollars less than last year's.
That's because the child credit was an advance on money you usually get at filing time.
"And that can create some confusion when people think they are going to get a full $3,600 credit on the return and have forgotten they have already gotten half that amount in advance," said Mitchell.
Stimulus checks, on the other hand, will not impact your refund.
Have kids under 18? Mitchell suggests you wait to file until you receive a letter from the IRS explaining how much you received and if you are owed more.
And if you are still confused, talk to a tax pro. A professional will make sure you get any missing credit from 2021 so you don't waste your money.