The 2024 child tax credit is $2,000 per child under age 17

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

The amount you actually receive depends on your income level. If your income is below certain thresholds, you may get the full $2,000 per child. If your income is higher, the credit begins to phase out — meaning it gets smaller. The phase-out starts at $400,000 for married couples filing jointly and $200,000 for single filers.

You do not need to do anything special to receive the credit. When you file your 2024 tax return and list your may have access to children, the IRS calculates the credit automatically. You will see it reflected as a reduction in the taxes you owe or as part of your refund.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2024 child tax credit is $2,000 per may have access to child under age 17, claimed on your tax return filed in 2025.
  • The full credit applies if your income is below $400,000 (married filing jointly) or $200,000 (single), and phases out above those amounts.
  • You must have a valid Social Security number for each child to claim the credit.
  • The credit reduces your federal income tax owed or increases your refund, depending on your overall tax situation.

Income limits and how the credit phases out

The child tax credit begins to reduce once your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) exceeds the threshold for your filing status. For 2024, the thresholds are $400,000 for married couples filing jointly and $200,000 for single filers, head of household filers, and may have access to widows or widowers.

For every $1,000 (or fraction of $1,000) your income exceeds the threshold, the credit decreases by $50. This means if you are a single filer earning $210,000, your income is $10,000 over the $200,000 threshold. That $10,000 rounds up to 11 increments of $1,000, so your credit would be reduced by $550 (11 × $50). If you have one child, your $2,000 credit would become $1,450.

The phase-out can eliminate the credit entirely if your income is high enough. However, most families with children do not earn enough to lose the full credit.

Who counts as a may have access to child

To claim the child tax credit, the child must meet several requirements. The child must be your son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, sibling, or a descendant of any of these (such as a grandchild or niece). The child must be under age 17 at the end of 2024, a U.S. citizen, national, or resident alien, and have a valid Social Security number.

The child must also live with you for more than half of 2024. There are exceptions for temporary absences due to school, medical care, military service, or detention. If you and another person both could claim the same child, only one of you can claim the credit — usually the parent with primary custody.

Children who are claimed as dependents on someone else's return do not count. For example, if your adult child claims your grandchild as a dependent, you cannot also claim that grandchild for the credit.

How to claim the credit on your tax return

You claim the child tax credit by filling out Schedule 8812 (Credits for may have access to Children and Other Dependents) and attaching it to your Form 1040 when you file your 2024 tax return. You will need each child's name, date of birth, and Social Security number.

If you use tax preparation software, the program will walk you through the questions and calculate the credit for you. If you file by paper, you complete Schedule 8812 by hand and include it with your return. If you work with a tax professional, they will gather this information from you and handle the calculation.

The IRS does not send you a separate notice about the credit. It is calculated as part of your overall tax return. If you are owed a refund, the credit is included in that amount. If you owe taxes, the credit reduces what you owe.

Refundable vs. non-refundable portions of the credit

Part of the child tax credit is refundable, meaning you can receive it as a refund even if you owe no federal income tax. Up to $1,700 per child (in 2024) can be refunded to you as the Additional Child Tax Credit. The remaining $300 per child is non-refundable, so it can only reduce the taxes you owe.

The refundable portion depends on your earned income. If your earned income is less than $2,500, you cannot receive the refundable portion. If your earned income is $2,500 or more, you can receive up to 15% of your earned income above $2,500, capped at $1,700 per child.

For example, if you have one child and earned income of $20,000, you would calculate 15% of ($20,000 − $2,500) = 15% of $17,500 = $2,625. Since the cap is $1,700, you would receive $1,700 as a refund. This is in addition to any other tax credits or refunds you are due.

What changed from 2023 to 2024

The child tax credit amount stayed the same at $2,000 per child. The income thresholds for phase-out also remained unchanged at $400,000 for married couples and $200,000 for single filers. The refundable portion cap stayed at $1,700 per child.

The main difference from previous years is that there was no advance payment of the credit in 2024, unlike some prior years when the IRS sent monthly payments to families. You receive the full credit when you file your tax return in 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I claim the child tax credit if my child does not have a Social Security number?

No. Your child must have a valid Social Security number to claim the credit. If your child was born in 2024 and does not yet have a number, you can still file your return but cannot claim the credit until you obtain the number and file an amended return.

What if I share custody of my child with another parent?

Only one parent can claim the child tax credit for each child in a given year. Usually this is the parent with primary custody. If you and the other parent cannot agree, the IRS has rules about which parent gets to claim the credit — typically the parent who had the child for the greater number of nights during the year.

Do I lose the entire credit if my income is above the threshold?

No. The credit phases out gradually. For every $1,000 over the threshold, the credit reduces by $50. You only lose the full credit if your income is high enough that the phase-out eliminates it completely, which happens at much higher income levels.

Can I claim the credit for a child who turned 17 in 2024?

No. The child must be under age 17 at the end of 2024 (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 credit.

What if I claimed the wrong child or made a mistake on my return?

You can file an amended return using Form 1040-X to correct the error. You have generally three years from the original return due date to file an amended return and claim any credit you missed or correct an error.