The Child Tax Credit in 2024 works differently than it did in 2021 and 2022

The IRS is not sending monthly Child Tax Credit (CTC) payments in 2024. The advance payments that arrived in your bank account or mailbox each month from July through December 2021, and again in 2022, have ended. Instead, you claim the full Child Tax Credit amount on your 2024 tax return when you file in 2025.

This shift happened because Congress let the expanded credit expire at the end of 2022. The credit still exists — you can still receive money for each may have access to child — but now you get it all at once when you file, rather than spread across the year in monthly installments.

Key Takeaways

  • The monthly advance CTC payments ended after December 2022; there are no automatic payments in 2024.
  • You claim the Child Tax Credit on your 2024 tax return filed in early 2025, and receive the full amount as part of your refund or tax liability reduction.
  • The credit is $2,000 per may have access to child under age 17 as of December 31, 2024, with no monthly payments sent by the IRS.
  • If you received advance payments in prior years and your income or family situation changed, you may owe money back when you file your 2024 return.
  • You must file a tax return to claim the credit, even if your income is very low and you normally would not file.

How the Child Tax Credit works on your 2024 return

When you file your 2024 tax return between January and April 2025, you report each may have access to child on Schedule 8812 (or directly on Form 1040 if using tax software). The IRS calculates $2,000 per child and reduces your tax liability by that amount. If the credit is larger than the tax you owe, the excess becomes a refund that the IRS sends to you.

The credit phases out if your income exceeds certain thresholds. For 2024, the phase-out begins at $400,000 for married couples filing jointly and $200,000 for single filers. For every $1,000 of income above the threshold, the credit reduces by $50.

A child must be under age 17 as of December 31, 2024, have a valid Social Security number, be a U.S. citizen, national, or resident alien, and be claimed as your dependent on your return. The child must also have lived with you for more than half the year.

Why monthly payments stopped after 2022

The expanded Child Tax Credit was part of the American Rescue Plan Act, passed in March 2021. That law increased the credit from $2,000 to $3,600 per child under age 6, and to $3,000 per child ages 6 through 17. It also allowed the IRS to send half the credit in advance monthly payments from July through December 2021.

Congress extended the expanded credit for 2022 but did not extend it beyond that year. When 2022 ended, the credit reverted to the permanent $2,000 amount, and Congress did not authorize monthly advance payments for 2023 or 2024. The credit remains law, but only as a lump sum on your tax return.

What to do if you received advance payments in 2021 or 2022

If you received monthly CTC payments in 2021 or 2022, the IRS sent you a letter (Form 6419) in January 2023 showing the total amount you received. Keep that letter. When you file your 2024 return, you do not need to report those old payments again — they were already reconciled on your 2023 return.

However, if your income or family situation changed between 2021 or 2022 and when you filed your 2023 return, you may have owed money back. For example, if you received $3,600 per child in 2021 but your income rose above the phase-out threshold, or if a child no longer lived with you, the IRS reduced your 2023 refund or added to the tax you owed. That reconciliation is complete; it does not carry forward to 2024.

Income limits and phase-out rules for 2024

The Child Tax Credit begins to reduce if your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) exceeds $400,000 for married couples filing jointly, $200,000 for single filers, and $200,000 for heads of household. MAGI is usually the same as your adjusted gross income (AGI) shown on your tax return.

For every $1,000 of income above the threshold (or fraction thereof), the credit decreases by $50. This means a single filer with $201,000 in income loses $50 of the credit. A single filer with $202,000 loses $100. The reduction continues until the credit reaches zero.

If you are close to the phase-out threshold, calculate your expected income carefully before filing. Some tax software will do this automatically, but you can also work through it manually using the IRS instructions for Schedule 8812.

Who must file a return to claim the credit

You must file a 2024 tax return to claim the Child Tax Credit, even if your income is below the filing requirement for your age and filing status. For example, a single person under age 65 normally must file only if their income exceeds $14,600 in 2024, but if they have a may have access to child and no tax liability, filing allows them to receive the credit as a refund.

If you do not file, you lose the credit for that year. The IRS does not automatically send it to you, and you cannot claim it in a later year. File as soon as you have all your documents — usually by mid-April, though the important date can be extended.

If you use a tax preparer or tax software, they will ask you to list each may have access to child and will calculate the credit for you. If you prepare your return by hand, use Form 1040 and Schedule 8812 (or Schedule 1 if using an older form version).

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the IRS send me a check for the Child Tax Credit in 2024?

No. The IRS only sends the credit when you file your 2024 tax return in early 2025. You receive it as a reduction in the tax you owe or as part of your refund. There are no automatic monthly payments in 2024.

Can I get the credit if I did not file a return in 2023?

Yes, but you must file a 2024 return to claim it. The credit does not carry over from prior years. If you did not file in 2023, that year is closed; you can only claim the 2024 credit on your 2024 return.

What happens if my income changes after I file?

If your income changes after you file your 2024 return, you cannot amend your return to reduce the credit unless you made an error. The credit is based on your income as reported on the return you filed. If you expect a major income change, you can file an amended return (Form 1040-X) within three years.

Do I lose the credit if my child turns 17 in 2024?

No. The child must be under age 17 as of December 31, 2024. If your child turns 17 on December 31, 2024, they still may have access to for the full $2,000 credit on your 2024 return. If they turn 17 before December 31, they do not may have access to.

What if I have a new child born in 2024?

You can claim the credit for a child born in 2024 on your 2024 return, as long as the child has a valid Social Security number and meets the other requirements. You do not need to wait until 2025. The child must have lived with you for more than half of 2024.