The Child Tax Credit amount for 2024 is $2,000 per child under 17

The Child Tax Credit is $2,000 for each may have access to child under age 17 on your tax return for the 2024 tax year (the return you file in 2025). This amount has stayed the same since 2018. The credit reduces the federal income tax you owe, dollar for dollar — if you owe $3,000 in tax and claim a $2,000 credit, you owe $1,000 instead.

The credit begins to phase out — meaning it gets smaller — if your income exceeds certain thresholds. For single filers, the phase-out starts at $400,000 of income. For married couples filing jointly, it starts at $800,000. For each $1,000 (or fraction of $1,000) over the threshold, the credit reduces by $50.

Not all of the credit is refundable, which matters if you owe little or no tax. The refundable portion — called the Additional Child Tax Credit — is capped at $1,700 per child for 2024. That means if the full $2,000 credit is more than the tax you owe, you can receive up to $1,700 back as a refund. The remaining $300 per child is non-refundable and only reduces tax you actually owe.

Key Takeaways

  • The Child Tax Credit is $2,000 per may have access to child under 17 for the 2024 tax year, and this amount does not change year to year under current law.
  • You must have earned income to claim the refundable portion; if you earned nothing, you cannot receive the refund part of the credit.
  • The credit phases out for higher earners: starting at $400,000 for single filers and $800,000 for married couples filing jointly.
  • Up to $1,700 of the $2,000 credit per child can come back to you as a refund if you owe little or no tax; the other $300 only reduces tax owed.

Who counts as a may have access to child for the credit

A may have access to child must be your son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, sibling, or descendant of any of these (such as a grandchild or niece). The child must be under age 17 at the end of the tax year, a U.S. citizen, national, or resident alien, and claimed as a dependent on your return. The child must also have lived with you for more than half the year (with limited exceptions for temporary absences like school or medical care).

The child must have a valid Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). If you claim a child who does not have a valid number by the time you file, you cannot claim the credit for that child on that return.

Income limits and how the credit shrinks

The credit does not disappear entirely when you exceed the income threshold — it phases out gradually. The reduction is $50 for every $1,000 of income over the limit (or any part of $1,000). For example, if you are a single filer with $401,000 in income, you are $1,000 over the $400,000 threshold. Your credit reduces by $50, from $2,000 to $1,950 per child.

If you are a single filer with $450,000 in income, you are $50,000 over the threshold. That counts as 50 full $1,000 increments, so your credit reduces by $2,500 per child. If you have two children, the total reduction is $5,000, which would eliminate the entire $4,000 credit ($2,000 × 2). At that income level, you receive no Child Tax Credit.

The income thresholds are adjusted each year for inflation, but the adjustment is small. For 2025, the thresholds are expected to increase slightly from 2024, though the exact amounts are set by the IRS in late 2024.

How to claim the credit on your tax return

You claim the Child Tax Credit on your federal income tax return using Form 1040 (the main individual tax form) and Schedule 8812 if you are claiming the refundable portion. Most tax software will walk you through the questions and calculate the credit automatically if you enter your children's information correctly.

You will need each child's full name, date of birth, and Social Security number or ITIN. You will also need to confirm that the child lived with you for more than half the year and that you are claiming them as a dependent. If you are divorced or separated, only the parent with custody for the majority of the year can claim the credit, unless you have a written agreement that gives the credit to the other parent.

If you file your return and later realize you made a mistake — such as forgetting to include a child or entering the wrong Social Security number — you can file an amended return (Form 1040-X) to claim the credit you missed.

The difference between the credit and the refundable portion

The full $2,000 credit is non-refundable, meaning it can only reduce the tax you owe. If you owe $500 in federal tax and claim a $2,000 credit, the credit wipes out your $500 tax bill, but you do not receive the remaining $1,500 as a refund.

However, the Additional Child Tax Credit (also called the refundable Child Tax Credit) allows you to receive up to $1,700 per child as a refund, even if you owe no tax. To claim this refundable portion, you must have earned income — wages, self-employment income, or certain other types of income. If you had no earned income, you cannot receive the refund part, though you can still use the non-refundable $300 portion to reduce any tax you owe.

For example: You earn $25,000 and owe $800 in federal tax. You have one may have access to child. The $2,000 credit first reduces your $800 tax to zero. You still have $1,200 of unused credit. The refundable portion allows you to receive up to $1,700 as a refund, so you receive $1,200 back. Your total benefit from the credit is $2,000 ($800 tax reduction + $1,200 refund).

What happens if the credit amount changes in future years

The $2,000 per-child amount is set by law and does not automatically adjust for inflation. Congress would need to pass new legislation to change it. The refundable portion ($1,700) also does not change automatically.

In late 2025, Congress will face decisions about whether to extend, modify, or let certain tax provisions expire. The Child Tax Credit structure could change depending on those decisions, but any change would apply to tax returns filed in future years, not to your 2024 return.

To stay informed about changes, check the IRS website (irs.gov) or consult a tax professional before filing your return each year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I claim the Child Tax Credit if my child does not have a Social Security number yet?

No. Your child must have a valid Social Security number or ITIN by the time you file your return. If your child was born late in the year and you do not yet have a number, you can request one from the Social Security Administration, but you cannot file your return and claim the credit until you have it.

What if I share custody of my child with another parent?

Only one parent can claim the credit per child per year. Generally, the parent with custody for the majority of the year claims it. If you and the other parent alternate years or have a written agreement, that agreement determines who claims the credit. The IRS requires Form 8332 (Release/Revocation of Release of Claim to Exemption for Child by Custodial Parent) if the custodial parent is releasing the credit to the other parent.

Do I lose the entire credit if my income is too high?

No, the credit phases out gradually. You lose $50 per child for every $1,000 of income over the threshold. Depending on how far over the threshold you are, you might lose part of the credit but still claim some of it. Only at very high income levels does the credit reduce to zero.

Can I claim the refundable portion if I am self-employed?

Yes. Self-employment income counts as earned income for the refundable Child Tax Credit. You must report your self-employment income on Schedule C and pay self-employment tax, but you are then may be able to access for the refundable portion of the credit.

What if I claimed the wrong number of children on my return?

You can file an amended return (Form 1040-X) to add or remove children from your claim. The IRS will recalculate your credit and either send you a refund or bill you for additional tax owed. There is no time limit to file an amended return to claim a credit you missed, though the IRS may limit refunds to three years back.