An 18-year-old doesn't qualify for the main Child Tax Credit (CTC) (up to $2,200) because they're too old (must be under 17), but you might claim them for the Credit for Other Dependents (COD), worth up to $500, if they meet tests like living with you and not providing more than half their own support, or potentially the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) if they have earned income.
You generally cannot claim the main Child Tax Credit (CTC) for an 18-year-old because they must be under 17, but you may qualify for the Credit for Other Dependents (ODC), which provides a nonrefundable credit of up to $500 for dependents who don't meet CTC rules, including those age 17 and older, like your 18-year-old. For the ODC, the dependent must still meet tests like being your relative, living with you for over half the year (with exceptions), and not providing more than half their own support, and they need a Social Security Number (SSN).
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.
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 can still claim your 18-year-old if you meet IRS support rules, but here's how it works: ✔️ He is no longer a qualifying child for the Child Tax Credit. ❗If he made more than the dependent income limit, you cannot claim him. But he can still file his own return.
To meet the qualifying child test, your child must be younger than you or your spouse if filing jointly and either younger than 19 years old or be a "student" younger than 24 years old as of the end of the calendar year.
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.
Your child tax credit is likely $500 instead of $2,000 because they either turned 17 during the tax year, making them eligible for the Other Dependent Credit, or you might have mistakenly checked a box in your tax software, like saying their SSN isn't valid for employment or that they paid over half their own support, which triggers the lower credit amount, according to TurboTax support, TurboTax support, TurboTax support, and TurboTax support https://ttlc.intuit.index.php/community/taxes/discussion/my-daughter-is-17-but-is-still-jr-in-high-school-why-do-i-only-get-500-for-her-and-not-the-full-2000/00/3423950.
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.
To calculate your Child Tax Credit, first determine your base amount by multiplying the number of qualifying children you have by $2,200 for 2025, $2,000 for 2024.
Make sure your dependent meets the IRS requirements. Generally, the IRS requires that the child is under the age of 19 (or under 24 if a full-time student), lives with you for more than half the year, and does not provide more than half of their own financial support.
Key Takeaways
A dependent child who has earned more than $15,750 of earned income (tax year 2025) typically needs to file a personal income tax form. Earned income includes wages, tips, salaries, and payment from self-employment.
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 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.
Overview. 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.
You qualify for the full amount of the Child Tax Credit for each qualifying child if you meet all eligibility factors and your annual income is not more than $200,000 ($400,000 if filing a joint return). Parents and guardians with higher incomes may be eligible to claim a partial credit.
Child poverty fell by nearly one-half, reaching its lowest level ever, after the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 temporarily increased the credit to $3,000 per child ($3,600 for children under 6) and allowed low-income families to be fully eligible for the credit.
A portion of the Child Tax Credit is refundable for 2025. This portion is called the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). For 2025, up to $1,700 per qualifying child may be refundable.
You generally cannot claim the main Child Tax Credit (CTC) for an 18-year-old because they must be under 17, but you may qualify for the Credit for Other Dependents (ODC), which provides a nonrefundable credit of up to $500 for dependents who don't meet CTC rules, including those age 17 and older, like your 18-year-old. For the ODC, the dependent must still meet tests like being your relative, living with you for over half the year (with exceptions), and not providing more than half their own support, and they need a Social Security Number (SSN).
To meet the qualifying child test, your child must be younger than you or your spouse if filing jointly and either younger than 19 years old or be a "student" younger than 24 years old as of the end of the calendar year.
Yes, you can get a tax credit for a college student, but it's usually the Credit for Other Dependents (up to $500) if they are 19-23 and a full-time student, not the main Child Tax Credit (CTC), which phases out after age 16. For education-specific credits like the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC), the student or parent can claim them, offering up to $2,500, but the parent must claim the student as a dependent to claim certain education credits.
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The maximum credit amount is $500 for each dependent who meets certain conditions. This credit can be claimed for: Dependents of any age, including those who are age 18 or older.
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.
You might be disqualified from the Child Tax Credit (CTC) if your child is too old (17+), doesn't meet relationship/residency/citizenship tests, you claim them as a dependent but can't, or your income is too high (phasing out) or too low (limiting the refundable part), or if the non-custodial parent claims them. Other disqualifiers include the child having an ITIN instead of a Social Security Number (SSN) or filing a joint tax return.