$
Adjusted gross income for 2026, both of you if filing jointly
At the end of 2026
Children 17+, a parent you support
More options· Earnings $80,000
$
Wages and self-employment: the same as income if that’s all you have
Your child tax credit
$4,400
All of it comes off your $5,240 federal income tax bill
- Off your tax
- $4,400
- Refunded
- $0
What this means
The credit is $2,200 for each child under 17 and $500 for each other dependent. First it cuts your federal income tax; if it’s more than your tax, up to $1,700 a child is paid to you as a refund (the additional child tax credit).
The credit only starts to shrink once your income passes $400,000.
How it’s worked out
| 2 children × $2,200 | $4,400 |
| Your credit | $4,400 |
| Your tax before credits | $5,240 |
| Used against your tax | $4,400 |
| Refunded (additional child tax credit) | $0 |
Where your credit goes
- Off your tax$4,400
Assumptions in this estimate
- For the 2026 tax year, the return you file in 2027. Your tax is worked out with the standard deduction; itemizing or other credits, such as the child and dependent care credit, change the part used against your tax.
- A qualifying child is under 17 at the end of the year, lives with you for more than half of it, and has a Social Security number valid for work. You (or, filing jointly, at least one of you) also need one.
- Income here is your adjusted gross income; the phase-out uses modified AGI, which is the same for most people.
- The refundable part can’t be more than 15% of earned income over $2,500. Self-employment earnings count after the deduction for half of self-employment tax.