Why am I not getting my child tax credit on TurboTax?

Asked by: Floy Fritsch  |  Last update: August 15, 2026
Score: 4.5/5 (7 votes)

Not receiving the Child Tax Credit (CTC) in TurboTax is commonly caused by entering incorrect dependent information, the child being over age 16 (17 or older), income exceeding limits ( $ 400 , 000 $ 4 0 0 , 0 0 0 joint / $ 200 , 000 $ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 single), or having no tax liability. Ensure the child is marked as a dependent, has a valid SSN, lived with you over 6 months, and did not file a joint return.

Why am I not getting the Child Tax Credit on my tax return?

Child Tax Credit Not eligible??

  • You've entered something wrong.
  • Your child may be too old (over 16).
  • Your income is too high.
  • Your income is too low.
  • You are the custodial parent and the non-custodial parent is claiming the dependent this year.

Why did I not receive CCB?

If you have not received your payment

If you don't receive your CCB payment on the expected payment date, before you contact us, you can: Check the status of your payment in your CRA account. Make sure your personal information is up to date. Check other reasons for stopped or changed payments.

Why am I not getting a $4,000 Child Tax Credit?

Why am I not getting $4000 child credit for 2 children

  • Must have earned income less than your filing threshold ($400,000 for married filing joint).
  • Must live with you more than half of the year.
  • Must have a qualified dependent under 17 years old
  • Must be a US citizen or resident.

Why am I getting the additional Child Tax Credit but not the Child Tax Credit?

I have two children that are my dependents and I am not getting the child tax credit. why?

  • You've entered something wrong.
  • Your child may be too old (over 16).
  • Your income is too high.
  • Your income is too low.
  • You are the custodial parent and the non-custodial parent is claiming the dependent this year.

How to AVOID THIS Child Tax Credit MISTAKE 🤯

36 related questions found

How to claim Child Tax Credit on TurboTax?

Use Schedule 8812 (Form 1040) to calculate the Child Tax Credit. Both the nonrefundable and the refundable portion are then reported on Form 1040 (although on different lines). When you list your dependents on Form 1040, check the “Child Tax Credit” box for each dependent that's a qualifying child.

Why is my Child Tax Credit only $500 and not $2000?

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.

How much do you have to make to get full child tax credit?

To get the full Child Tax Credit (CTC) for the 2025 tax year (filed in 2026), your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) must generally not exceed $200,000 if single/head of household/qualifying widow(er), or $400,000 if married filing jointly; above these thresholds, the credit starts to decrease, and for the refundable portion (Additional Child Tax Credit or ACTC), you need at least $2,500 in earned income.

Why would the IRS deny child tax credit?

In order to claim the EITC or CTC for a child, it is not enough that you are taking care of them. You must also be related to them, either by blood or marriage, or through legal adoption, foster care, or a custody order. To prove: Send copies of birth certificates, custody orders, or DNA tests.

What is the new $1200 benefit?

The Critical Worker Benefit is a joint federal-provincial program with $465 million available to recognize the hard work of critical workers during the pandemic.

What is the new child tax credit?

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.

Why is my child tax credit not showing up on TurboTax?

Make sure you have entered your child as a dependent in My Info, and that you have entered the child's Social Security number. Careful— do not say that your child's SSN is not valid for employment. If your child was born in 2024 make sure you said he lived with you the whole year.

Why is the IRS holding refunds with child tax credits?

Why we hold your refund. By law, we can't issue EITC or ACTC refunds before mid-February. This includes your entire refund, not just the part that's related to the credit you claimed on your tax return. If you claim the EITC or ACTC, we may need more information from you about your return.

Can I still get a child tax credit with no income?

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. 

What disqualifies you from a child tax credit?

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.

Why am I not getting a $4,000 Child Tax Credit?

The nonrefundable Child Tax Credit will lower your tax liability down to $0. So you must have a tax liability in order to claim it. If you did not have at least a $4,000 tax liability, you would not be eligible for the entire credit, but you could be eligible for the Additional Child Tax Credit.

What's the cut-off for child tax credits?

Calculate your Child Tax Credit

As we mentioned above, the CTC starts phasing out at $200,000 for single filers and $400,000 for married couples filing jointly. For every $1,000 you make above these limits, your CTC will be $50 less.

How to get the full Child Tax Credit?

Families must have at least one qualifying child under 6 years old at the end of the tax year, must file a California state tax return, and meet the requirements of the CalEITC. Taxpayers do not need to have earned income to be eligible however, you must otherwise meet CalEITC and YCTC requirements.

Why am I getting ACTC and not CTC?

It's not something you qualify for on its own — the ACTC only comes into play if you can't claim the full CTC because your tax bill isn't high enough. Think of it like this: The CTC reduces your tax bill. The ACTC gives you a refund of what's left over (up to a limit) if you meet the income requirements.

Why is the Child Tax Credit so small this year?

The Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child and Dependent Care Credit have reverted to pre-COVID levels. This means that taxpayers will likely receive a significantly smaller refund compared to last year. For 2022, the Child Tax Credit is worth $2,000 for each qualifying child.

Why didn't I get my CCB payment?

If you haven't received yours yet, it can take up to 5 business days to arrive by mail or direct deposit. If you're eligible, please refer to your CCB notice in your CRA account for a breakdown of your payment. https://www.canada. ca/en/revenue-agency/services/e- services/cra-login-services.