Child tax credit: Who’s eligible, how to claim it and more

Core Insights - The child tax credit is a federal tax break designed to assist families with the costs of raising children, increasing to $2,200 for the 2025 tax year from $2,000 in 2024 for each qualifying dependent under age 17 [2][4] - Taxpayers may receive up to $1,700 of the credit as a refund through the additional child tax credit [2] Tax Credit Overview - The child tax credit is distinct from other tax credits such as the child and dependent care credit and the earned income tax credit [3] - There is also a credit for other dependents worth up to $500 for those who do not qualify for the child tax credit [3] Qualification Criteria - To qualify for the child tax credit, specific requirements must be met, including income limits that phase out the credit for married couples filing jointly with incomes above $400,000 and for all other filers above $200,000 [4][5] - The eligibility rules have changed, requiring both the parent and the child to have Social Security numbers [4][5] Child Eligibility - Each qualifying child must be under age 17 at the end of the tax year, meaning they must be 16 or younger at the end of 2025 to qualify for the credit on the 2025 tax return [5] - The child must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or resident alien with a valid Social Security number and must not have provided more than half of their own financial support for the year [5][6]