Why don't I qualify for child tax credit

jo318711 — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 11:14:09 GMT

When filing this year I have 0 income but I do have 2 kids. One 11 and one 8. It is saying I do not qualify for child tax credit. Confused as I have received child tax credit when filing once before without any income from that year. Curious as to if I did something wrong or if things have changed?

Re: Why don't I qualify for child tax credit

SteamTrain — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 19:21:13 GMT

Yes...things have changed for 2022. Those were only emergency $$ the past couple years during the worst of COVID.

No earned income in 2022? then no Child tax credits and no EIC

Re: Why don't I qualify for child tax credit

xmasbaby0 — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 20:16:43 GMT

The short answer is that if you did not work in 2022, you will not receive an income tax refund based on having dependent children.

The rules for getting the child tax credit on a 2021 tax return and now on a 2022 return are very different. For 2021 you could get $3600 for a child under 6 or $3000 for a child between 6 and 17 even if you had no income/did not work. That is NOT the way it will work for your 2022 tax return. The “old” rules are back. The maximum amount of the child tax credit is now $2000; the refundable “additional child tax credit” amount is $1500. 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 $1500. If your child is older than 16 at the end of 2022, you do not get the CTC. But you may still get the non-refundable $500 credit for other dependents instead.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900923-what-is-the-child-tax-credit

https://www.irs.gov/help/ita/does-my-childdependent-qualify-for-the-child-tax-credit-or-the-credit-for-other-dependents

And for the Earned Income Credit—-the rules are back to the “old” rules—

those under 25 and over 65 without children are not eligible as they were uniquely in 2021. And you cannot use your income from any earlier tax year to get the EIC for a 2022 return. EIC for 2022 will be based on the income you earned by working in 2022.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899157-what-are-the-qualifications-for-the-earned-income-credit-eic-or-eitc

https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/use-the-eitc-assistant

AND….If you have children but had no income, it raises the question of how you and the children were supported. There may be another tax-paying adult who can claim you and/or the children as dependents.

topic Why don't I qualify for child tax credit in Deductions & credits

Why don't I qualify for child tax credit

Re: Why don't I qualify for child tax credit

Re: Why don't I qualify for child tax credit