The Child Tax Credit is generally $2,000 per child (as of 2022–2025). The higher amount of $3,600 ($3,000 for ages 6-17) was a temporary expansion for the 2021 tax year only under the American Rescue Plan Act.
The $3,600 Child Tax Credit was a temporary expansion for the 2021 tax year under the American Rescue Plan Act, offering up to $3,600 for young children and $3,000 for older kids, with half paid monthly in advance. This expansion, including full refundability and monthly payments, expired after 2021, reverting to the standard $2,000 credit (with limits) for subsequent years, though there have been recent bipartisan efforts for another temporary expansion.
The $3,600 Child Tax Credit (CTC) was a temporary expansion for the 2021 tax year only, under the American Rescue Plan, for children under age 6, with $3,000 for ages 6-17, and was fully refundable, allowing low-income families to get the full benefit even with no income, requiring a valid SSN for both parents and kids. For current tax years (like 2025), the credit reverts to the pre-2021 rules (up to $2,000 per child, partially refundable) unless Congress acts, but you still need an SSN and must meet income and relationship tests, even if low-income families can get a portion.
Effective beginning in 2018, the TCJA doubled the maximum CTC for children under 17 from $1,000 per child to $2,000 per child. The legislation specified in 2018 that up to $1,400 of the credit could be received as a refundable credit, the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC).
Yes, for the 2024 tax year (filed in 2025), you can get up to a $2,000 Child Tax Credit (CTC) per qualifying child, with up to $1,700 potentially refundable as the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) if you have earned income over $2,500, even if you owe no taxes. Eligibility depends on the child being under 17, meeting relationship and residency tests, and having a Social Security Number, plus your income must generally be below $200,000 ($400,000 if married filing jointly).
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.
The only way to get the full amount of any remaining Child Tax Credit for which you are eligible is to file a tax return for 2021. When you are ready to file, you can use childtaxcredit.gov to find free assistance for filing to receive your Child Tax 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.
Key takeaways. The Child Tax Credit (CTC) helps reduce federal income tax for families with children under 17 at the end of the tax year, providing financial relief for child-related expenses. The CTC is worth up to $2,200 per child for the 2025 tax year.
raising the maximum age for an eligible child from 16 to 17. 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) making the entire credit refundable.
In order to get that credit, you have to have income from working. The credit is calculated based on the amount you earned above $2500 multiplied by 15%, up to the full $1700 per child. If the amount you earned was too low, you will not get the full $1700.
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.
The Additional Child Tax Credit allows you to receive up to $1,700 of the $2,200 CTC per child as a refund for 2025. To determine whether you're eligible to claim the Additional Child Tax Credit, fill out the Child Tax Credit Worksheet in the Form 1040 instructions.
Yes, a significant new child tax credit bill, the "One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA)," was signed into law in July 2025, making major changes, including increasing the credit to up to $2,200 per child, adding work-eligibility requirements, and indexing the full credit amount to inflation starting in 2026 for future tax years, affecting returns filed in 2027 and beyond.
To claim the Child Tax Credit (CTC), you generally need earned income of at least $2,500, with the credit phasing out at higher incomes ($200k single / $400k married), though eligibility for the refundable Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) requires this income, making it available even if you owe little or no federal tax, but the credit itself is worth up to $2,200 per child.
The 2024 Child Tax Credit is $2,000 per eligible child. The credit is also partially refundable. This basically means it can trigger a tax refund if the credit amount is greater than the tax you owe before applying the credit. But the refundable amount – known as the Additional Child Tax Credit – may be limited.
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA)
It doubled the amount per qualifying child to $2,000.
California families earning $31,950 or less qualify for this credit. You also must have a qualifying child under 6 years old at the end of the tax year and qualify for CAL Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).
Starting in July, most families with children will get child tax credit payments in their bank account. People who receive payments by direct deposit will get their first payment by July 15 and payments will go out on the 15th of the month each month after that until the end of 2021.
Lower-income taxpayers generally receive a credit of $1,700 or less per child, depending on their earnings. In contrast, higher-income taxpayers with sufficient income tax liability receive a credit of $2,000 per child.
Specifically, the Child Tax Credit was revised in the following ways for 2021: The credit amount was increased for 2021. The American Rescue Plan increased the amount of the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 to $3,600 for qualifying children under age 6, and $3,000 for other qualifying children under age 18.
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act increased the standard deduction, eliminated personal exemptions, doubled the maximum child tax credit (CTC) from $1,000 to $2,000 per child under age 17, and added a $500 nonrefundable credit for children ineligible for the $2,000 credit.
In July of 2025, Child Tax Credit Big Beautiful Bill Act changes became law and increased the maximum amount of the credit. Here's a recap of the max for both years: Child Tax Credit 2024 – Up to $2,000. Child Tax Credit 2025 – Up to $2,200.