For the 2023 tax year (filed in 2024), the Child Tax Credit (CTC) was worth up to $2,000 per qualifying child, with up to $1,600 of that potentially refundable as the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) if you had earned income over $2,500. The full credit phases out for higher incomes, starting at $200,000 for single filers and $400,000 for joint filers, with a lower refundable amount for those with less income.
To be eligible, your child must be under 17 years old and be listed as a dependent on your tax return. You (or your spouse, if married filing jointly,) and each qualifying child must have a valid Social Security number issued before the due date of the tax return.
For the 2025 tax year, you generally get up to a $2,200 Child Tax Credit (CTC) per qualifying child under 17, with up to $1,700 potentially refundable as the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) if your income is low, requiring earned income above $2,500 to claim the ACTC. The full credit phases out for higher incomes, reducing by $50 for every $1,000 (or $50,000) above $200,000 for single filers or $400,000 for joint filers.
For the 2025 tax year, families can get up to a $2,200 Child Tax Credit (CTC) per qualifying child under 17, with up to $1,700 of that potentially refundable (as Additional Child Tax Credit, ACTC) for lower-income families, provided income limits ($200k single/$400k married) and earned income requirements ($2,500+) are met, with higher earners receiving partial credits. State laws also vary, with some offering separate credits or deductions, like New Jersey's or North Carolina's, so check your specific state's tax agency.
You might not get the full Child Tax Credit (CTC) due to income limits, your child's age, insufficient earned income, claiming errors (like wrong dependent info or another parent claiming the child), or because the temporary 2021 expansion rules aren't in effect, limiting the credit to your tax liability (part refundable as Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC)), requiring at least $2,500 earned income for ACTC.
The enhanced credit allowed for qualifying children under age 6 and children under age 18 has expired. For 2023, the initial amount of the CTC is $2,000 for each qualifying child.
A new Child Tax Credit (CTC) law, part of the "One, Big, Beautiful Bill" (OBBBA), makes significant changes starting in 2025, increasing the credit to $2,200 per child (indexed to inflation), adding a citizenship requirement for parents, and making the credit partially refundable (up to $1,700) for low-income families, while permanent changes from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) are retained, reverting to pre-22021 rules for full refundability and advance payments.
The child tax credit allows eligible taxpayers to reduce their federal income tax liability by up to $2,200 per qualifying child (indexed to inflation). If their tax liability is less than the value of their child tax credit, they may be eligible for a refundable credit calculated using the earned income formula.
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.
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.
Qualifications for the Child Tax Credit depend on several factors including the child's age, relationship, residency, and the taxpayer's income. Use Schedule 8812 and Form 1040 to claim the Child Tax Credit on your individual tax return.
What can I claim when I have a child?
Taxpayers can claim a child tax credit (CTC) of up to $2,200 for each child under age 17 who is a U.S. citizen, national, or resident and has a Social Security number (SSN). The credit is reduced by 5 percent of adjusted gross income over $200,000 for single parents ($400,000 for married couples).
What is the maximum Child Tax Credit amount per child for tax year 2025? The maximum CTC amount is up to $2,200 per qualifying child. The refundable portion of the CTC is up to $1,700 for the 2025 tax year (returns you'll file in early 2026).
The CTC is worth up to $2,200 per child for the 2025 tax year. The refundable portion of the CTC, called the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), is $1,700. The CTC operates as a partially refundable tax credit, not as monthly payments as in some prior years.
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.
Child care expenses
Eligible expenses may include caregiver payments, daycares, day camps, and boarding schools. Here are the amounts you can claim: $8,000 for children under the age of seven at the end of the year. $5,000 for children over the age of six at the end of the year and under 16 anytime during the year.
If you are caring for a dependent child on your own you can claim the Single Person Child Carer Credit in addition to your personal tax credit. There is also an increase in your standard rate tax band. This means that you can earn more before you start to pay the higher rate of tax.
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.
If you do not have income, and do not meet the main home requirement, you will not be able to benefit from the Child Tax Credit because the credit will not be refundable.
You are only eligible for the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit if you (and your spouse, if you are filing jointly) are employed, actively looking for full-time employment, or are enrolled in school full-time.
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).