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

The Child Tax Credit for the 2024 tax year is $2,000 for each may have access to child under age 17 at the end of 2024. This is the same amount as 2023. The credit reduces the federal income tax you owe dollar-for-dollar, and you can claim it on your 2024 tax return when you file in 2025.

The amount does not change based on your income unless you earn above certain thresholds. If your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) exceeds $400,000 (married filing jointly) or $200,000 (single, head of household, or married filing separately), the credit begins to phase out by $50 for each $1,000 over the limit.

A child must meet specific requirements to count: they must be your son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, sibling, or descendant of any of these; they must be under 17 at the end of 2024; they must be a U.S. citizen, national, or resident alien; they must live with you for more than half the year; and you must provide more than half their financial support for the year.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2024 Child Tax Credit is $2,000 per may have access to child under age 17, claimed on your 2024 tax return filed in 2025.
  • Your child must be a U.S. citizen, national, or resident alien; live with you more than half the year; and you must provide over half their support.
  • If you earned more than $400,000 (married filing jointly) or $200,000 (single), your credit phases out by $50 per $1,000 over the limit.
  • You report the credit on Schedule 8812 (Form 1040) and enter it on your Form 1040 or 1040-SR to reduce your tax owed.
  • If the credit exceeds your tax owed, you may receive a refund through the Additional Child Tax Credit, up to $1,700 per child for 2024.

Who counts as a may have access to child

A may have access to child must be related to you by blood, marriage, or adoption. This includes your biological child, stepchild, adopted child, foster child placed with you by an authorized agency, or a sibling, half-sibling, or descendant of any of these (such as a niece or nephew you care for). The child does not have to be a minor in all states, but for the Child Tax Credit they must be under age 17 on December 31, 2024.

The child must be a U.S. citizen, national, or resident alien. You will need their Social Security number to claim the credit. They must live with you for more than half of 2024 — temporary absences for school, medical treatment, military service, or vacation count as time living with you. You must also provide more than half their total financial support for the year, including food, lodging, education, medical care, and other necessities.

Only one person can claim the credit for each child. If parents are divorced or separated, the parent with custody for the longer part of the year usually claims the credit, unless they sign a form releasing the credit to the other parent. If you are unsure whether you meet these rules, you can work through the IRS worksheet in Publication 972 or consult a tax professional.

How the credit phases out at higher incomes

If your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) stays below $400,000 (married filing jointly) or $200,000 (single, head of household, or married filing separately), you receive the full $2,000 per child. MAGI for this credit is generally your adjusted gross income from your tax return, with no additional modifications for most taxpayers.

Once your MAGI exceeds the threshold, the credit reduces by $50 for each $1,000 (or fraction thereof) over the limit. For example, if you are single with MAGI of $201,000, you are $1,000 over the $200,000 threshold. Your credit reduces by $50, from $2,000 to $1,950 per child. If your MAGI is $201,500, the reduction is still $50 because any fraction of $1,000 rounds up.

The IRS provides a worksheet in the instructions to Form 1040 to calculate your reduced credit. You can also use tax software, which performs this calculation automatically once you enter your income and number of children. If you are close to the threshold, it may be worth reviewing deductions or timing of income to see if you can lower your MAGI.

Where to claim the credit on your tax return

You claim the Child Tax Credit on Schedule 8812 (Form 1040), which is titled "Credits for may have access to Children and Other Dependents." You will need the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of each may have access to child. Enter the number of may have access to children and the total credit amount (before any phase-out reduction) on the schedule.

If your income requires a phase-out reduction, Schedule 8812 includes a worksheet to calculate the reduced amount. Once you complete the schedule, you transfer the credit amount to line 24 of Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR. This credit reduces your total tax liability dollar-for-dollar.

If you file using tax software (such as IRS Free File, TurboTax, H&R Block, or TaxAct), the software will prompt you to enter information about each child and will complete Schedule 8812 for you. You do not need to manually fill out the schedule if the software does it. Always verify that the child's name and Social Security number are spelled and entered correctly, because errors delay processing.

The Additional Child Tax Credit and refundable portion

The Child Tax Credit is partially refundable, meaning if the credit is larger than the tax you owe, you may receive the difference as a refund. The refundable portion is called the Additional Child Tax Credit and is limited to $1,700 per child for 2024.

For example, if you owe $800 in federal income tax and have two may have access to children, your full Child Tax Credit is $4,000. Since $4,000 exceeds your $800 tax liability, the excess $3,200 is potentially refundable. However, the refundable portion is capped at $1,700 per child, so you would receive a refund of $3,400 (1,700 × 2 children). The remaining $600 of the credit is not used.

To claim the Additional Child Tax Credit, you must complete Schedule 8812 and meet income requirements. Your earned income (wages, self-employment income, or other work-related earnings) must be at least $2,500 for the year. If you have no earned income or very low earned income, you may not be able to claim the refundable portion. The IRS worksheet on Schedule 8812 walks through this calculation step-by-step.

Changes from prior years and what to watch for

The $2,000 per-child amount has remained the same since 2018. However, the income thresholds for phase-out are adjusted annually for inflation. For 2024, the thresholds are $400,000 (married filing jointly) and $200,000 (single and head of household). These thresholds were higher in 2023, so if your income increased, you may now be subject to phase-out.

In 2021 and 2022, the credit was temporarily expanded to $3,600 per child under age 6 and $3,000 per child ages 6 to 16, and part of it was paid in advance monthly payments. That expansion ended after 2022, and the credit returned to $2,000 per child for 2023 and 2024. There is no current law extending the expanded amounts, so plan for $2,000 per child unless Congress passes new legislation.

One common mistake is claiming the credit for a child who does not have a valid Social Security number or who is not a U.S. citizen, national, or resident alien. The IRS will reject the return or reduce the credit if the child does not meet these requirements. Another mistake is claiming the credit for a child when another parent or guardian also claims them — only one person can claim each child per year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I claim the Child Tax Credit for a child who turned 17 in 2024?

No. The child must be under age 17 on December 31, 2024. If your child turned 17 at any point during 2024, they do not count as a may have access to child for the 2024 tax year. However, you may be able to claim them as a dependent using the Credit for Other Dependents, which is $500 per dependent.

What if my child's other parent claims them on their return?

Only one person can claim the credit per child per year. If both parents file returns claiming the same child, the IRS will contact you to resolve the conflict. The parent with custody for the longer part of the year has the right to claim the child unless they sign Form 8332 releasing the claim to the other parent. If you believe the other parent claimed your child incorrectly, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040.

Do I need to report the credit if I received advance payments in prior years?

If you received advance Child Tax Credit payments in 2021 or 2022, you should have received a letter from the IRS. You do not need to report those payments again on your 2024 return. However, if you received payments and did not report them on your 2021 or 2022 return, contact a tax professional or the IRS to correct those years.

Can I claim the credit if my child is a resident alien but not a citizen?

Yes, if your child is a resident alien for tax purposes and has a valid Social Security number, they count as a may have access to child. A resident alien is generally someone who has a green card or meets the substantial presence test. If your child is a nonresident alien, they do not count. You can check your child's status with a tax professional or the IRS Publication 519.

What happens if I claim the credit and later find out my child does not meet the requirements?

The IRS will disallow the credit and send you a notice. You will owe the tax you saved plus interest and potentially penalties. If the error was unintentional, you may be able to avoid penalties by filing an amended return (Form 1040-X) as soon as you discover the mistake. Contact a tax professional if you think you made an error on a prior year return.