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Child Tax Credit Calculator

See how much child tax credit you get for 2026: up to $2,200 for each child under 17 and $500 for other dependents, how much comes off your tax bill, and how much is paid to you as a refund.

$

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.

Next step

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

Your credit
  • 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.
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How the calculator works

  1. Your credit: $2,200 for each child under 17 and $500 for each other dependent, less $50 for each $1,000 of income over $200,000 ($400,000 if you’re married filing jointly).
  2. Off your tax: the credit first cuts your federal income tax, worked out with the standard deduction.
  3. Refunded: anything left is paid to you, up to $1,700 a child and 15% of your earnings over $2,500. That’s the additional child tax credit.

Examples

A married couple earning $80,000 with two children owe $5,240 of federal income tax before credits. Their $4,400 credit comes straight off it, leaving $840 to pay.

A head of household earning $30,000 with two children owes only $585 before credits. The credit wipes that out, and $3,400 more is refunded ($1,700 a child), for $3,985 in all. The last $415 can’t be used.

A single parent earning $230,000 with one child gets $700: the $2,200 credit falls by $1,500 because their income is $30,000 over the $200,000 threshold.

Amounts and limits

Child tax credit for 2026 Amount
Each child under 17 $2,200
Refundable part, each child Up to $1,700
Refund limit 15% of earnings over $2,500
Each other dependent $500 (not refundable)
Phase-out starts $200,000 ($400,000 joint)
Phase-out rate $50 for each $1,000 over

How much you get by income

A married couple filing jointly with 2 children under 17, with all their income from work, in 2026:

Income Off their tax Refunded Total credit
$15,000 $0 $1,875 $1,875
$25,000 $0 $3,375 $3,375
$40,000 $780 $3,400 $4,180
$60,000 $2,840 $1,560 $4,400
$80,000 $4,400 $0 $4,400
$150,000 $4,400 $0 $4,400
$400,000 $4,400 $0 $4,400
$440,000 $2,400 $0 $2,400
$480,000 $400 $0 $400

At low incomes, the refund is limited to 15% of earnings over $2,500, so the credit grows as you earn more until it reaches the full amount. It stays there until the phase-out, which for a married couple starts at $400,000.

Getting it sooner

You don’t have to wait for your refund. Claim your children in Step 3 of your W-4 and your employer withholds less federal tax from each paycheck, so you get the credit spread through the year. See how to fill out a W-4 or use the W-4 calculator.

Learn more

See our tax refund calculator for your whole refund, the EITC calculator for the earned income credit, and our guide to benefits and tax credits.

Last updated

Frequently asked questions

How much is the child tax credit for 2026?

Up to $2,200 for each qualifying child under 17, for the return you file in 2027. Up to $1,700 a child of it is refundable, so you can get it even if you owe little or no tax. Other dependents, such as children 17 or older, get a $500 credit.

How much child tax credit will I get with 2 kids?

Up to $4,400. A married couple with two children gets all of it from about $42,200 of income from work up to $400,000. Below that, the refundable part is limited by earnings: on $25,000, they’d get $3,375.

Who gets the full child tax credit?

Single filers and heads of household with income up to $200,000, and married couples filing jointly with income up to $400,000. Above that, the credit falls by $50 for each $1,000 of extra income.

What is the additional child tax credit?

The refundable part of the credit. If the credit is more than your tax bill, up to $1,700 a child is paid to you as part of your refund. It’s limited to 15% of your earnings over $2,500, so you need some income from work to get it.

Does my child need a Social Security number?

Yes. Each child must have a Social Security number valid for work by the due date of your return. From 2025, you (or, if you file jointly, at least one of you) also need one. A child without one may still qualify you for the $500 credit for other dependents.

When will I get my child tax credit?

With your tax refund, after you file your 2026 return in early 2027. The IRS can’t pay refunds that include the additional child tax credit before mid-February. You can also get it through your paycheck by claiming your children on your W-4.