My son turned 18 January 5th. Why can't I get child tax credit if he was 17 the whole year of 2016?

[xmasbaby0 · Accepted solution]

The child tax credit can only reduce your tax liability down to zero.  It is not a refund.  If you have no tax due, then you may not receive the full amount of the $1000 Child Tax Credit

If your child turned 17 at any time during 2016, then you will not receive the child tax credit.  You can still claim the child as a dependent.

If you are claiming the Child Tax Credit for a child who was born in 2016, make sure you said in Personal Info that the child lived with you all year and that you entered the child’s SSN.

[erriort]

I asked the same question. I was wondering why my refund was $1,000 less than last year when my pay was almost the same. And it was because my daughter turned 17 that year and when a child turns 17 they NO LONGER QUALIFY for the Child Tax Credit. Even if they are not working. I thought it was 18 but I was wrong. 

[VolvoGirl]

Because the year they were born you got the Child Tax Credit for the whole year, not just from date of birth.  So it evens out.