Yes, you can claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for a 17-year-old child if they meet the IRS "qualifying child" tests. The child must be under age 19 at the end of the year (or under 24 if a full-time student), live with you in the U.S. for over half the year, and not provide more than half of their own support.
You lose the Child Tax Credit (CTC) at age 17 because federal tax law specifies the credit applies to children under age 17 at the end of the tax year; once a child turns 17, they "age out" of this specific credit, though they might qualify for the smaller Credit for Other Dependents ($500) or remain a standard dependent for other tax benefits. This age cutoff isn't based on student status or living situation (which allow them to remain dependents), but is a strict IRS rule for the CTC.
You may qualify for the EITC if you are 19 years old or older and not a student.
increasing the maximum credit to $3,600 for children under six years old, or $3,000 for children six to 17 years old (the increased amounts were reduced for higher-income taxpayers)
No, your son does not need to file taxes if he is a dependent and made less than $12950 in earned income in 2022. The standard deduction for a dependent child is total earned income plus $400, up to a maximum of $12950. So, a child can earn up to $12950 without paying income tax.
No, if your child turned 17 in 2025, you generally won't get the main Child Tax Credit (CTC) for them because the child must be under 17 at the end of the tax year (December 31st) to qualify. Turning 17, even late in the year, makes them ineligible for the full CTC, though you might qualify for the smaller Credit for Other Dependents (ODC) if they meet other dependency tests.
If the credit exceeds federal income taxes owed, families may receive up to $1,700 per child as a refund. Other dependents—including children ages 17–18 and full-time college students ages 19–23—can be claimed for a nonrefundable credit of up to $500 each.
For the federal Child Tax Credit (CTC), the qualifying child must be under age 17 at the end of the tax year (meaning 16 or younger) and meet other criteria like having a Social Security number, being a U.S. citizen/resident, and living with the taxpayer for more than half the year, with the credit amount typically up to $2,200 per child for 2025, notes the IRS, National Conference of State Legislatures, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and Tax Policy Center.
Your child can generally make unlimited earned income (from jobs) and still be a Qualifying Child dependent if they meet age, residency, and support tests; but for a Qualifying Relative, their gross income must be under the threshold, which is $5,200 for 2025, with exceptions for certain investment income. The key distinction is that a "Qualifying Child" (usually under 19/24 and living with you) has no earned income limit, but must not provide more than half their own support, while a "Qualifying Relative" has strict income caps.
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 temporarily expanded the child tax credit for the 2021 tax year to $3,600 per child under age 6 and $3,000 per child up to age 17.
You're at least 18 years old or have a qualifying child. Have earned income of at least $1 and not more than $32,900. Have a valid Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) for you, your spouse/RDP, and any qualifying children. Live in California for more than half the filing year.
When your teenager works for US employers, they do take taxes out of minors' paychecks: FICA taxes: 7.65% (Social Security 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%) – mandatory for all workers, including under 18. Federal income tax: Based on Form W-4 completion. These are automatically withheld regardless of where your family lives.
If your dependent child has unearned income, you can typically choose to report it on your return or your child's return. However, if your child's unearned income totals $1,350 or more (in 2025), it must be reported separately on your child's own return.
The general rule is that a parent can claim a dependent child's investment income on their own return up to a certain amount —above that, the child needs to file themselves. To claim a child's income on a parent's tax return, the child needs to be considered a qualifying child dependent of the parent.
You lose the Child Tax Credit (CTC) at age 17 because federal tax law specifies the credit applies to children under age 17 at the end of the tax year; once a child turns 17, they "age out" of this specific credit, though they might qualify for the smaller Credit for Other Dependents ($500) or remain a standard dependent for other tax benefits. This age cutoff isn't based on student status or living situation (which allow them to remain dependents), but is a strict IRS rule for the CTC.
Yes, you can usually still claim your 17-year-old as a dependent even if they work, as long as they meet the main IRS tests: they lived with you for over half the year, aren't providing more than half their own support, and you are older than them (unless disabled). Their earned income typically doesn't prevent you from claiming the Child Tax Credit (CTC) or them as a dependent, though it can affect their eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and might require them to file their own tax return if they earn above a certain amount.
The Young Child Tax Credit (YCTC) provides up to $1,189 per eligible tax return for tax year 2025. YCTC may provide you with cash back or reduce any tax you owe. California families qualify with earned income of $32,900 or less.
To qualify for the Child Tax Credit, you (or your spouse, if married filing jointly,) and each qualifying child must have a Social Security number that is valid for employment in the United States and issued before the due date of the tax return (including extensions).
You can no longer claim the main Child Tax Credit (CTC) for a child who is age 17 or older by the end of the tax year, but they might qualify for the smaller, nonrefundable Credit for Other Dependents ($500) if they meet other criteria like being a student or disabled, or you may still claim them as a dependent for other benefits if they are under 19 (or 24 for students) and meet other rules, says the IRS. The key age cutoff for the main CTC is being under 17 at year-end, meaning a 17-year-old (no matter their birthday) doesn't qualify for the full credit, according to the Tax Policy Center.
You can also use Form 8812 to claim the Credit for Other Dependents (ODC). The ODC is a nonrefundable credit for dependents that don't meet the qualifications for the CTC, such as dependent children over 17 or dependent relatives. It is $500 per qualifying individual.
Yes, you can get the Child Tax Credit (CTC) even with no income or if you don't owe taxes, as it can reduce your tax liability to $0 and part of it is refundable (you can get it back as a refund), but you must file a tax return to claim it and meet other basic requirements like having a qualifying child and living in the U.S. for over half the year. The refundable portion helps if you have no tax liability, but you need to file a return (like Form 1040) to get the money, even if you'd normally not file.
Even with no income, you should file a tax return (Form 1040) to claim refundable credits like the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) (up to $1,600 for 2023) and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which can result in a significant refund, though you must have some earned income (generally over $2,500) for the ACTC to fully apply, so check the IRS rules for your specific year; you'll also need your child's Social Security Number (SSN) and your Head of Household filing status might be beneficial.
You generally cannot claim your daughter as a dependent if she made over $5,000 (specifically, over the 2024 gross income limit of $5,050 or 2025 limit of $5,200) as a Qualifying Relative, but she might still be a Qualifying Child if she's under 19 (or 24 as a student), lived with you, and didn't provide over half her own support, as the income limit doesn't apply to Qualifying Children. The key is whether she's a Qualifying Child (no income limit) or a Qualifying Relative (income limit applies).