I have a child under 18

If you have a child under the age of 18, you may also qualify for the federal Child Tax Credit (CTC). If you qualify you may see a reduced tax bill or a bigger refund.

 

The Child Tax Credit helps families with qualifying children get a tax break. You may be able to claim the credit even if you don't normally file a tax return.

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Who Qualifies:

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You can claim the Child Tax Credit for each qualifying child who has a Social Security number that is valid for employment in the United States.

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To be a qualifying child for the 2023 tax year, your dependent generally must:

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• Be under age 17 at the end of the year

• Be your son, daughter, stepchild, eligible foster child, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, half-brother, half-sister, or a descendant of one of these (for example, a grandchild, niece or nephew)

• Provide no more than half of their own financial support during the year

• Have lived with you for more than half the year

• Be properly claimed as your dependent on your tax return

• Not file a joint return with their spouse for the tax year or file it only to claim a refund of withheld income tax or estimated tax paid

• Have been a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or U.S. resident alien

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You qualify for the full amount of the 2023 Child Tax Credit for each qualifying child if you meet all eligibility factors and your annual income is not more than $200,000 ($400,000 if filing a joint return).

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Parents and guardians with higher incomes may be eligible to claim a partial credit.

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*Qualifying children must be under 18 years of age as of December 31, 2023.

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The refundable tax credit amount you can get depends on your income and the size of your family. 

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• Individuals without children can get up to $600 from the federal EITC

• If you have one child, you can get up to $3,995 from the federal EITC

• If you have two children, you can get up to $6,604 from the federal EITC

• If you have three or more children, you can get up to $7,430 from the federal EITC

• The DC EITC can provide 70% of the federal EITC

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Need help filing your taxes? Find free tax preparation help here.

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