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Video: What's the Child Tax Credit—How Do I Qualify?

OVERVIEW

Did you know that your greatest joy can also be one your biggest tax deductions? Learn more about what is the Child Tax Credit and how you may qualify. You can get back up to $2,000 on your return if you have a child 16 or younger.

NEW TAX LAW CHANGES

The One Big Beautiful Bill that passed includes permanently extending tax cuts from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, including increasing the cap on the amount of state and local or sales tax and property tax (SALT) that you can deduct, makes cuts to energy credits passed under the Inflation Reduction Act, makes changes to taxes on tips and overtime for certain workers, reforms Medicaid, increases the Debt ceiling, and reforms Pell Grants and student loans. Updates to this article are in process. Check our One Big Beautiful Bill article for more information.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

For tax year 2025 the Child Tax Credit is $2,200 per qualifying child. This amount increased from $2,000 for 2024.

Video transcript:

Welcome to Tax Tips by TurboTax. So what exactly is the Child Tax Credit? The Child Tax Credit is a tax benefit that can reduce your federal income tax by up to $2,000 for each qualifying child under the age of 17. But who qualifies for the credit? To qualify, the child must meet the following criteria.

  • One: The child must have been under 17 on the last day of the tax year.
  • Two: the child must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or U.S. resident alien.
  • Three: the child must have lived with you for more than half the year, and the child must not have provided more than half of their own support.
  • And four: the child must be related to you as your naturally born child, adopted child, stepchild, foster child, sibling, stepsibling, or a descendant of any of these, such as a grandchild, niece or nephew. Children born during the year or those who have passed away also qualify.

But how do you claim the credit? To claim the Child Tax Credit, you need to follow these three steps.

  • One: Ensure the child meets all the qualifying criteria.
  • Two: Include the child’s information on your tax return.
  • And three: File your federal income tax return, typically using form 1040.

With TurboTax, we’ll ask you simple questions and fill out the form for you. Visit TurboTax.com for more info to help you file your taxes with confidence.

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