The 2024 Child Tax Credit is up to $2,000 per child under 17
The Child Tax Credit for 2024 lets you reduce the federal income tax you owe by up to $2,000 for each child under age 17 at the end of the year. The credit applies to children who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or resident aliens, and you must claim them as dependents on your tax return. The amount you receive depends on your household income — the credit begins to shrink if you earn above a certain threshold, and it phases out completely at higher income levels.
For 2024, the income thresholds where the credit starts to reduce are $400,000 for married couples filing jointly and $200,000 for single filers and heads of household. If your income is below these amounts, you get the full $2,000 per child. For every $1,000 (or fraction of $1,000) you earn above the threshold, the credit decreases by $50.
You claim the Child Tax Credit on your federal tax return using Form 1040 and Schedule 8812. You will need each child's Social Security number, date of birth, and relationship to you. The IRS matches this information against Social Security Administration records, so accuracy matters — mismatched numbers can delay your refund or trigger an audit.
Key Takeaways
- The Child Tax Credit reduces your federal tax bill by up to $2,000 per may have access to child under age 17 in 2024.
- You must have a valid Social Security number for each child and claim them as dependents on your return.
- The full credit applies if your income is below $400,000 (married filing jointly) or $200,000 (single or head of household).
- Part of the credit may be refundable, meaning you can receive money back even if you owe no tax, up to a limit set by the IRS.
- You claim the credit on Form 1040 when you file your annual tax return; you do not receive it separately during the year.
How the income phase-out works
The Child Tax Credit does not disappear all at once when you cross the income threshold. Instead, it shrinks gradually. For every $1,000 of income above the threshold (or any part of $1,000), the credit drops by $50 per child.
For example, if you are a single filer with one child and earn $210,000, you are $10,000 over the $200,000 threshold. That $10,000 is 10 full thousands, so your credit reduces by $50 × 10 = $500. Your credit would be $2,000 − $500 = $1,500. If you earned $210,500, you would still owe the reduction for 11 thousands (because any fraction counts as a full thousand), so the reduction would be $550, leaving you $1,450.
The phase-out applies to your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI), which for most people is the same as your adjusted gross income (AGI) shown on your tax return. If you have foreign income or certain other items, MAGI may differ, but your tax software or preparer will calculate it correctly.
Refundable versus non-refundable portions
Part of the Child Tax Credit is refundable, which means you can receive money back even if you owe no federal income tax. The refundable portion is called the Additional Child Tax Credit, and for 2024 it is limited to $1,700 per child. The remaining $300 per child is non-refundable, so you can only use it to reduce tax you actually owe.
If you have three children and owe $3,000 in federal tax, you can use $3,000 of your $6,000 credit to wipe out what you owe. The remaining $3,000 is refundable up to the $1,700-per-child limit (so up to $5,100 for three children). In this case, you would receive a refund of $3,000 because that is the amount of credit left over after you paid your tax bill.
The refundable portion is also subject to income limits. You must have earned income (wages, self-employment income, or certain other income) to claim the refundable credit. If you have no earned income, you can still use the non-refundable $300 per child to reduce tax owed, but you cannot receive the refundable portion back.
Who qualifies as a dependent child for this credit
The child must be under age 17 at the end of 2024 to count for the full credit. The age is measured on December 31, so a child who turns 17 on December 31, 2024, does not may have access to. A child who turns 17 on January 1, 2025, does may have access to for 2024.
The child must be your son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, sibling, or descendant of any of these (such as a grandchild or niece). Adopted children count the same as biological children. The child must live with you for more than half the year, with limited exceptions for temporary absences due to school, medical care, military service, or detention.
The child must be a U.S. citizen, national, or resident alien. You establish this with a Social Security number, which also serves as proof of identity. If a child has an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) instead, they do not may have access to for the Child Tax Credit, though they may may have access to for other credits.
You must claim the child as a dependent on your return, and no one else can claim them. If parents are divorced or separated, the parent with custody for the greater part of the year normally claims the child, unless they sign a form releasing the claim to the other parent.
Differences from the 2021 expanded credit
In 2021, Congress temporarily expanded the Child Tax Credit to $3,600 per child under age 6 and $3,000 per child ages 6 to 16, and made the entire amount refundable. The IRS also sent advance payments to families during 2021 and 2022. That expansion ended after 2021, and the credit returned to $2,000 per child starting in 2022.
The current $2,000 credit is the same as it was before 2021. The non-refundable portion is $1,700 and the refundable portion is capped at $1,700 per child. If you received advance payments in 2021 or 2022, those are separate from the 2024 credit and do not affect how much you can claim now.
How to claim the credit on your tax return
You claim the Child Tax Credit on Form 1040 (the main federal income tax form) using Schedule 8812 if you need to calculate the refundable portion or if your income is high enough to trigger the phase-out. Many tax software programs will ask you questions about your children and calculate the credit automatically.
You will need each child's full name, date of birth, Social Security number, and relationship to you. The IRS cross-checks this information with Social Security records. If the name or number does not match, the IRS will deny the credit and send you a notice. Correcting a mismatch usually requires contacting the IRS or filing an amended return.
If you file your return electronically, the software validates the information before submission. If you file on paper, double-check the spelling of each child's name and the accuracy of their Social Security number before mailing. A single digit wrong can cause problems.
Income limits and how they affect your credit
| Filing Status | Income Threshold for Phase-Out | Reduction per $1,000 Over Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Married Filing Jointly | $400,000 | $50 per child |
| Single or Head of Household | $200,000 | $50 per child |
| Married Filing Separately | $200,000 | $50 per child |
Your income for purposes of the phase-out is your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). For most taxpayers, MAGI is the same as the adjusted gross income (AGI) you see on Form 1040, line 11. If you have foreign earned income, foreign housing exclusions, or certain other items, MAGI may be higher than AGI.
The phase-out is calculated in $1,000 increments, meaning any income over the threshold that is not a full $1,000 rounds up. If you are $1 over the threshold, you lose $50 of credit per child. If you are $1,001 over, you lose $100 per child. This rounding rule can matter at the margins, so it is worth calculating carefully if your income is close to a threshold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I claim the Child Tax Credit if my child was born late in 2024?
Yes, if your child was born in 2024, you can claim the credit for that year. The child must be a U.S. citizen, national, or resident alien, and you must have a valid Social Security number for them. You claim the credit on your 2024 tax return filed in 2025, even though the child was only alive for part of the year.
What happens if I claim a child and the IRS says the Social Security number does not match?
The IRS will deny the credit and send you a notice. You can respond by providing corrected information or documentation proving the number is correct. If the name or number truly was wrong, you can file an amended return (Form 1040-X) with the correct information. Contact the IRS or work with a tax preparer to resolve the mismatch.
Can two parents both claim the same child for the credit?
No. Only one person can claim a child as a dependent on a tax return. If both parents file, the IRS will reject the duplicate claim. If you are divorced or separated, the parent with custody for the greater part of the year has the right to claim the child unless they sign Form 8332 releasing that right to the other parent.
Do I get the Child Tax Credit if I do not owe any federal income tax?
You may receive part of it back as a refund through the refundable portion (Additional Child Tax Credit), up to $1,700 per child, if you have earned income. The non-refundable $300 per child can only reduce tax you owe. If you have no tax liability and no earned income, you would not receive a refund from this credit.
Does the Child Tax Credit explore to a foster child or grandchild?
Yes, if they meet the other requirements. A foster child counts if they live with you for the entire year and you have legal custody or a court order. A grandchild counts if they are your dependent and live with you for more than half the year. In both cases, you must claim them as dependents on your return.