Summary: This article details significant enhancements to the Child Tax Credit enacted by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Key insights include a substantial increase in the maximum credit amount per qualifying child. Furthermore, the refundable portion of the credit was also greatly expanded, allowing more families to receive a refund even if they owe no taxes. The TCJA also considerably raised the income phase-out thresholds, enabling a greater number of moderate and higher-income families to qualify. A new non-refundable credit for other dependents was introduced, collectively providing broader tax relief for families. While impacting specific tax years, these changes aimed to deliver more financial support to eligible households.
You might be seeing some more money on your tax refund this year, and that could all be due to the newly-revised Child Tax Credit. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act increased the amount of the Child Tax credit and also created a smaller tax credit that would help people taking care of older children or relatives. There are still requirements you must meet to qualify for the tax credit.
The Child Tax Credit was created in 1998, where families could take up to $400 tax credit for each qualifying child under 17. Before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the maximum tax credit you could take was $1,000 for each qualifying child. Now the tax credit has doubled for parents. The Child Tax Credit is now worth $2,000 per child. Along with doubling how much the tax credit is worth, the tax reform increased the income limit placed on the credit, allowing more families to qualify for the important tax credit. The phase out for the tax credit begins now at $200,000 for single filers or $400,000 for married couples that file together. Up to $1,400 of the credit can be refundable for each qualifying child. This means along with cutting down the taxes you owe, you could also receive a tax refund!
For families to be eligible to claim the new Child Tax Credit, the child must be younger than 17 at the end of the tax year. The child must also be claimed as a dependent on your tax return, they must live with you for more than six months out of the tax year and have a valid Social Security Number before the due date of the tax return or extension. The child cannot provide more than half of his or her own financial support during the tax year you are claiming them. The child must also be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national, or a U.S. resident alien.
