The Child Tax Credit is an existing program that more families became eligible for in 2021. The credit was expanded significantly as part of the American Rescue Plan.
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Some of the big changes to the 2021 Child Tax Credit include:

• 17-year-olds became eligible.
• The total credit was increased from $2,000 to $3,000 per child 6-17 years old and $3,600 per child 5 and under.
• There was no work requirement, so you didn't have to be employed or earn income to get the maximum credit.
• Half of the total credit came as monthly cash payments that started in July 2021.

To learn about all of the changes to the Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan, visit The White House website.

If you have children 17 and under, and if you make between $0-$75,000 in adjusted gross income for a single household, then you qualify for the maximum credit. Families with higher incomes may receive a smaller credit.
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For information on families with higher incomes, visit The White House website.

Yes, your child must have a Social Security number to qualify for the Child Tax Credit. However, a parent does not need a Social Security number—you can file with an ITIN.

Your child must have been 17 or younger on December 31, 2021, to qualify for the Child Tax Credit.

If your child turned 18 on or before December 31, 2021, they do not qualify.

No, you don’t have to work to get the Child Tax Credit. Under the American Rescue Plan, the credit is available to families who have no income at all.

Previously, families had to make at least $2,500 to qualify and over $30,000 to get the full benefit.

It depends on how old your children are and how many children you have.

• For each child 6-17 years old, you will receive $3,000 total (or $250 per month, from July to December 2021).
• For each child 5 and under, you will receive $3,600 total (or $300 per month, from July to December 2021).

The credit will start to phase out if your adjusted gross income is above a certain amount. Payments will go down by $50 for every $1,000 of income earned above:

• $75,000 for single filers
• $112,500 for heads of household
• $150,000 for married couples filing a joint return and qualified widows and widowers

For more information on payments, visit The White House website.

If you got monthly payments in 2021, you must file taxes in 2022 to get the second half of your CTC. You might have heard that the IRS will send the second half automatically, but this is not true. Even if you don't usually file taxes, you must file this year to claim the rest of your CTC.
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Get help filing taxes at Get Your Refund

You will get the rest of your CTC when the IRS issues your tax refund in 2022. 

Most families will get $1500-$1800 per child. However, factors like income, where you live, and whether you got monthly CTC payments in 2021 can change that. 

Here are a few common reasons that can impact the CTC amount in your tax return: 

• You opted out of monthly payments in 2021, but you claim the CTC when you file taxes
• You weren't eligible for monthly payments in 2021 (e.g., Puerto Rico residents), but you claim the CTC when you file taxes
• You owe on unreported income, back taxes, or other government debt, so the IRS uses your CTC funds to pay it

Learn more on the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) website

You can get help filing your taxes in person or online.  

• File online for free.
• File virtually with free help from a human.
• File in person at a free tax site near you.

The IRS will pay for missed or incorrect payments by including the difference in your tax refund.

You'll need to report the total amount you got in monthly payments in 2021. To avoid delays with receiving your refund, you must enter the exact amount on file with the IRS. Here are two ways to make sure you enter the correct amount:
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Sign in to the CTC Update Portal. Sign in to your account to access your CTC payment information. If you’ve never signed into the CTC Update Portal, you can create an account here.
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Use the IRS Letter 6419. Be on the lookout for Letter 6419 from the IRS. This letter should arrive in your mailbox anytime between mid-January and early February. 

No, the Child Tax Credit does not need to be paid back.

No, receiving the Child Tax Credit will not impact or reduce any of your other government benefits, like SNAP, SSI, SSDI, TANF, WIC, Section 8, or Public Housing. The Child Tax Credit is not considered income and should not be reported as income for these programs.
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For more information on other benefits, visit The White House website.

Only one parent can claim the credit for a given child. Typically, this parent has custody of the child for more time. If there is a 50/50 split on custody, then the parent with the higher adjusted gross income (AGI) gets to claim the child.
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If both parents claim the same child, one of the parents may have to repay all or part of the payment.

Yes, babies born or adopted in 2021 are eligible for the credit.

Currently, the expansion of the Child Tax Credit is temporary (in other words, only for 2021). However, there is an ongoing debate about making the expansion permanent. We are following closely and will update this site as soon as we know more.