Federal benefit · Tax credit · Last verified 2026-08-08
Claim the Child Tax Credit every year
Up to $2,200 per kid, every tax year. It's the single biggest recurring line — don't file without it.
- What it's worth
- Up to $2,200/yr
- Deadline
- No fixed deadline
- Who qualifies
- Kid needs a Social Security number; credit phases out at higher incomes.
The details
The federal Child Tax Credit is worth up to $2,200 per qualifying child per year. It phases out at higher incomes and part of it is refundable — meaning you can get money back even when you owe no tax. Claim it on your return every single year from birth through age 16. If you use a preparer or software it's usually automatic, but it's worth confirming your new kid is on the return the first year.
Official source: https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/child-tax-credit
Anchor tracks all of these for your kid's birth year and your state — free. Provide matches every benefit here to your kid's age, shows the real deadline, and links only to official pages. No ads, no subscription, no locked features.
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