how much is child tax credit 2025
For the 2025 tax year (returns you file in 2026), the federal Child Tax Credit is up to about $2,200 per qualifying child, with up to $1,700 potentially refundable, if you meet income and other eligibility rules.
Key 2025 amounts
- Maximum Child Tax Credit: about $2,200 per qualifying child for 2025.
- Refundable portion (Additional Child Tax Credit): up to $1,700 per child, depending on your earned income and tax situation.
- The credit begins to phase out when your modified adjusted gross income is above roughly $200,000 (single/head of household) or $400,000 (married filing jointly).
Basic eligibility
- Child generally must be under age 17 at the end of the year, have a valid Social Security number, live with you for more than half the year, and be your dependent.
- You usually need at least $2,500 of earned income for the refundable part to start phasing in.
2024 vs 2025 change
- 2024 Child Tax Credit maximum: $2,000 per qualifying child.
- 2025 Child Tax Credit maximum: increased to about $2,200 per child under recent federal tax legislation, with the refundable cap staying around $1,700 for 2025.
What this means for you
- If you qualified for the full credit in 2024, you may see a slightly larger credit (about $200 more per child) when you file your 2025 return in early 2026, assuming your income and family situation are similar.
- Because the latest law ties the credit to inflation going forward, future years may see small adjustments rather than big jumps, unless Congress changes the rules again.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.