You generally receive the Child Tax Credit (CTC) when you file your annual federal income tax return, typically as part of your refund in the spring (February-April), but you must meet income, age, relationship, and residency tests for your child to qualify, and sometimes advance payments (like in 2021) or state credits (like California's YCTC) offer different timelines.
If you claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), the IRS cannot issue these refunds before mid-February. This applies to the entire refund, even the portion not associated with these credits. Check Where's My Refund in mid-to late February for your personalized refund date.
In the 2025 tax year, the CTC will not be paid out in the form of payments. Instead, it's a tax benefit that can provide families with up to $2,200 in tax relief per qualifying child. If your tax is already $0, you could get up to $1,700 per qualifying child as a refund.
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.
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.
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).
To receive a copy of your child's credit report, you will need to contact three main credit bureaus — Experian™, Equifax ® and TransUnion ® — to see if they have a report on file for your child. You can do this by accessing their websites or calling.
Tracking the status of a tax refund is easy with the Where's My Refund? tool. It's available anytime on IRS.gov or through the IRS2Go App. Taxpayers can start checking their refund status within 24 hours after an e-filed return is received.
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).
Most families will automatically start receiving the new monthly Child Tax Credit payments on July 15th. Families who normally aren't required to file an income tax return should use this Non-Filers Tool to register quickly for the expanded and newly-advanceable Child Tax Credit from the American Rescue Plan.
If you do not qualify for repayment protection, you will need to report the entire excess amount on your 2021 tax return as additional income tax. This additional income tax will reduce the amount of your tax refund or increase your total tax due for 2021.
The Child Tax Credit 2025 rate slightly increased to $2,200 per child, and the new Child Tax Credit increase 2025 offers taxpayers $1,700 in related refundable credits.
Key Takeaways
Refunds, including payments by direct deposit, won't be issued before March 3, 2025, for those claiming the Additional Child Tax Credit. Parents must file a federal tax return to claim the child tax credit, using Form 1040 and Schedule 8812.
The IRS may not issue a credit or refund to you before February 15th, if you claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) on your tax return.
Yes, there is a Child Tax Credit (CTC) for the 2025 tax year, set at up to $2,200 per qualifying child, with a refundable portion (Additional Child Tax Credit or ACTC) of up to $1,700 per child, requiring at least $2,500 in earned income to claim the refundable part. Eligibility depends on the child being under 17 at year-end, being a dependent, and meeting residency/citizenship rules, with income phase-outs beginning at $200,000 (single filers) or $400,000 (joint filers).
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA; P.L. 117-2) expanded the child tax credit for tax year 2021 only. The law raised the maximum value of the credit in 2021 to $3,600 per child age 0-5 and $3,000 for other qualifying children.
Use Schedule 8812 and Form 1040 to claim the Child Tax Credit on your individual tax return.
Certain tax credits may delay your federal refund
If you claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), the IRS won't process your return until 2/17. You can expect your refund by early March.
Even though child tax credit payments are scheduled to arrive on certain dates, you may not have gotten the money as expected for a few reasons. The IRS may not have an up-to-date mailing address or banking information for you.
To calculate the refundable Child Tax Credit (ACTC), you need earned income over $2,500, and the credit is 15% of that excess income, up to a maximum of about $1,700 per child (for recent years, like 2025), which you receive as a refund even if you owe no tax, by filing IRS Schedule 8812, notes.
Here are some things you can do now to help your child build credit at a young age.
To see if your child has a TransUnion credit report, use our secure Child Identity Theft Inquiry Form to submit an inquiry. We'll use the information you provide to investigate the existence of a potential credit file in your child's name. If you have questions about this form, you can call us at 800-916-8800.
A credit freeze for minors is one of the strongest ways parents can protect their child's personal information and financial future.