The Child Tax Credit (CTC) is worth:
- $2,200 per qualifying child in 2025
- $2,000 per qualifying child in 2022, 2023, and 2024
The credit is first used to reduce your tax liability. If your tax is reduced to zero, you may be eligible for a refundable portion called the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC).
You must have earned income of at least $2,500 to qualify for the refundable portion.
The maximum refundable amount is:
- $1,700 in 2025 and 2024
- $1,600 in 2022 and 2023
To estimate how much of the refundable portion of the credit you could receive, you can use the following equation:
(Your salary – 2,500) x .15
The credit eventually phases out for married taxpayers filing jointly with an income of $400,000 ($200,000 for all other taxpayers).
Why is my Child Tax Credit $0?
The Child Tax Credit is a nonrefundable credit, meaning it can only be used to lower your tax liability, not increase your tax refund. If your Child Tax Credit is showing as $0, it is likely due to not having any tax liability for the credit to reduce.
Why did I receive the Additional Child Tax Credit but no Child Tax Credit?
If you have no tax liability to reduce using the Child Tax Credit, but you have reported at least $2,500 worth of earned income, you can qualify for the Additional Child Tax Credit without receiving the Child Tax Credit.