Why do I not qualify for a child tax credit? My 13 year old grandson lives with me. Is it because I only receive SS and retirement income?

charlottegregory — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:53:51 GMT

Re: Why do I not qualify for a child tax credit? My 13 year old grandson lives with me. Is it because I only receive SS and retirement income?

DoninGA — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 16:43:12 GMT

For tax year 2022 you must have earned income of at least $2,500 to be eligible for the Child Tax Credit. Social Security benefits and retirement/pension income is not earned income.

Re: Why do I not qualify for a child tax credit? My 13 year old grandson lives with me. Is it because I only receive SS and retirement income?

xmasbaby0 — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 16:43:55 GMT

Yes that is the reason.

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

topic Why do I not qualify for a child tax credit? My 13 year old grandson lives with me. Is it because I only receive SS and retirement income? in Retirement tax questions

Why do I not qualify for a child tax credit? My 13 year old grandson lives with me. Is it because I only receive SS and retirement income?

Re: Why do I not qualify for a child tax credit? My 13 year old grandson lives with me. Is it because I only receive SS and retirement income?

Re: Why do I not qualify for a child tax credit? My 13 year old grandson lives with me. Is it because I only receive SS and retirement income?