File a simple tax return to learn how much money you can receive and to get your CTC payment.

Families can get up to $2,200 per child  age up to 16  . This includes children born on or before December 31, 2025.

You do not need to earn a lot of money to get CTC. Parents or families can get CTC if they have earned an income of at least $2,500.

An eligible child could be the taxpayer’s son, daughter, stepchild, eligible foster child, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, half-brother, half-sister, or a descendant of any of them (for example, a grandchild, niece, or nephew). The child must live with the taxpayer for at least half of the year and be claimed as a dependent on your tax return. Learn more about eligibility on the IRS website.

A parent filing alone must have an SSN to receive the credit. For joint filers, at least one parent must have an SSN.

Each dependent child claimed will need a SSN.

Yes. Tax filers with eligible children within the last three years can still file a tax return to get the CTC.

If you did not file a federal tax return in previous years but had eligible children living with you in 2024, 2023, or 2022, you may also be able to claim missed Child Tax Credit payments. This option is available to parents who did not receive Child Tax Credit payments in 2022.