If the Child Tax Credit (CTC) isn't appearing on your return, there are several common reasons why. The credit depends on your child's age, your income, your filing status, and the information entered for both you and your dependent.
Here's what to check.
Age Requirement
To qualify for the Child Tax Credit, your child must be under age 17 at the end of 2026.
If your child turned 17 at any time during 2026, they don't qualify for the Child Tax Credit. However, they may qualify for the Credit for Other Dependents, which can provide a credit of up to $500.
Income Requirements
To receive the refundable portion of the credit, known as the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), you generally must have at least $2,500 of earned income.
Earned income includes:
- Wages and salaries
- Self-employment income
- Tips
- Bonuses
- Commissions
Income Limits
The Child Tax Credit begins to phase out when your modified adjusted gross income exceeds:
- $200,000 for Single and Head of Household filers
- $400,000 for Married Filing Jointly filers
If your income is above these thresholds, the credit is reduced by $50 for each $1,000 (or portion of $1,000) over the limit.
Social Security Number (SSN) Requirements
For tax year 2026:
- The qualifying child must have a valid Social Security number issued by the due date of the return (including extensions).
- You, or your spouse if filing jointly, must also meet the applicable taxpayer identification requirements to claim the credit.
- If filing a joint return, one spouse may have an SSN while the other spouse has an ITIN, provided the ITIN was issued on or before the return due date.
Double-Check Your Dependent Information
Incorrect dependent information is one of the most common reasons the credit doesn't calculate.
Review each dependent listed on your return and verify:
- The date of birth is correct.
- The child is marked as a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or U.S. resident alien.
- The relationship to you is entered correctly.
- The number of months the child lived in your home is accurate.
Even a small data entry error can prevent the credit from being calculated.
Review Your Return Summary
If everything appears correct, review the summary of your return:
- Confirm the amount of earned income reported.
- Check the Tax and Credits section for the Child Tax Credit.
- Check the Payments section for the Additional Child Tax Credit, which may appear separately.
How the Credit Is Calculated
For tax year 2026:
- The maximum Child Tax Credit is generally up to $2,200 per qualifying child.
- The credit is first used to reduce your tax liability.
- If part of the credit remains after your tax liability reaches zero, you may qualify for the refundable Additional Child Tax Credit.
- Up to $1,700 per qualifying child may be refundable if you meet the eligibility requirements.
Still Not Seeing the Credit?
If you've confirmed your child's age, SSN, residency, relationship, and your income information, revisit the dependent section and carefully review each entry. In many cases, correcting a single detail will allow the credit to calculate correctly.
Our software automatically determines your eligibility for the Child Tax Credit and Additional Child Tax Credit based on the information you enter and updates your return accordingly.