What is the Child Tax Credit?
The Child Tax Credit is a tax credit you can claim for each qualifying dependent child on your return. You can get up to $2,200 for each child under age 17 if your modified adjusted gross income (AGI) is less than:
$400,000 if you're Married Filing Jointly
$200,000 for all other filing statuses
If your AGI is higher than that, the amount of Child Tax Credit you're eligible for is reduced by $50 for each $1,000 your modified AGI is above the income threshold. For example, if you're Married Filing Jointly making $401,000, you’re eligible for a total credit of $1,950.
To qualify, your child must meet all of these requirements:
Be under age 17 at the end of the tax year
Is your child, stepchild, foster child, adopted child, sibling, step sibling, half sibling, or a descendant of any of them (for example, a grandchild, niece, or nephew)
Has their own Social Security number issued before the tax return due date
Taxpayer SSN Requirement: For the 2025 tax year, the person claiming the credit (at least one person if filing a joint return) must also have a work-eligible Social Security number.
Children with ITINs don't qualify, but may instead be eligible for the $500 Credit for Other Dependents
Lived with you for more than half the year
Didn't support themselves (didn't pay more than half their own expenses)
Is a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or U.S. resident alien
Residents of Canada or Mexico don't qualify
Hasn't filed a joint return with their spouse for the tax year or filed it only to claim a refund of withheld income tax or estimate tax paid
In 2025, the tax credit will be refundable only up to $1,700, depending on your income. You must have earned income of at least $2,500 to be eligible for the refund.
For the latest news about the Child Tax Credit, check out the TurboTax blog.
