topic 2022 Child Tax Credit in Retirement tax questions

2022 Child Tax Credit

gimade — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 12:42:03 GMT

I am a widow with 5 children and receive Social Security benefits for myself and my 5 children. Am I eligible to receive the Child Tax Credit of $2000 per child?.

Re: 2022 Child Tax Credit

DoninGA — Sun, 12 Feb 2023 21:32:29 GMT

Sorry, no you are not eligible for the child tax credit. For tax year 2022 you must have at least $2,500 of earned income from work to be eligible. Social Security benefits are not earned income.

Re: 2022 Child Tax Credit

gimade — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 00:17:40 GMT

Thank you very much DoninGA. I appreciate your prompt response. Sorry I forgot to mention that I had a Teaching Job online for a University and earned $3,600 paid no Federal Tax. So Turbo Tax is giving me $165 credit.

I was reading about People with kids under the age of 17 ( I was left with 5 kids under 17 when my husband passed)

Reading: For 2022, certain low-income people can only get up to $1,500 per child as a refund, instead of the full $2,000 child credit, if their child credit exceeds the taxes they otherwise owe.

I get confused about the $1,500 refundable part "if the tax credit exceeds the taxes"?

Kind Regards.

Re: 2022 Child Tax Credit

CatinaT1 — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 14:03:29 GMT

You are talking about the Child Tax Credit and the Additional Child Tax Credit. The Child Tax Credit can only reduce your tax to 0. After your tax is reduced to 0, you may be eligible for the Additional Child Tax Credit. The Additional Child Tax Credit is refundable, which can increase your refund. The links at the bottom will provide additional information for you.

To qualify for the Child Tax Credit, your child must fit all of these requirements:

Be under age 17 at the end of the tax year
Is your son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, adopted child, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, half-brother, half-sister, or a descendant of any of them (for example, a grandchild, niece, or nephew)
Has his or her own Social Security Number
Lived with you for more than half the year
Didn't support him/herself (i.e., didn't pay more than half their own expenses)
Is a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or U.S. resident alien

Additionally, you must have tax liability for the credit to be applied to.  If you do not, you may qualify for the Additional Child Tax Credit.

These links will provide more information:

Child Tax Credit

Additional Child Tax Credit