You can qualify for the full amount of the 2023 Child Tax Credit for each dependent that meets all eligibility factors. Your annual income can’t be more than $200,000, or $400,000 if you’re filing a joint return.

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

• Be under the age of 17 at the end of the year (2023).
• 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 2022 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.

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

It won’t affect your other benefits

Since this incentive doesn’t count as an income, receiving the Child Tax Credit (CTC) won’t affect your eligibility or participation in programs like SNAP, Medicaid, or most other benefits.

You can use this tool to see if you qualify.

Under the American Rescue Plan of 2021, the federal government sent taxpayers additional payments for each qualifying minor. These funds were not renewed. This means taxpayers will likely receive a significantly smaller refund compared to previous tax year.

However, you can still claim the Advance Child Tax Credit Payments for tax year 2021 if you haven’t done so already.

Claim your CTC for free by filing your federal tax return online. Get started at myfreetaxes.com.