Additional Child Tax Credit

Get back what's yours. Calculate the refundable portion of the Child Tax Credit if your tax liability is lower than the credit amount.

Children must be under age 17.
Your total federal tax before credits.
Estimated ACTC Refund
$2,800

This is the refundable part of your credit.

Total Child Credit
$4,000
Non-Refundable Part
$1,200

CTC vs. ACTC

I genuinely believe that the Child Tax Credit (CTC) is the most powerful tax break for American families. However, it can be confusing. The CTC is "non-refundable," meaning it can reduce your tax bill to zero, but it won't give you a refund on its own. That’s where the **Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC)** comes in.

The 15% Rule: The ACTC is calculated as 15% of your earned income over $2,500. This ensures that even if you don't owe any federal income tax, you can still receive a portion of the credit as a tax refund to help with the costs of raising children.

Eligibility Check:

  • Age: The child must be under age 17 at the end of the year.
  • Relationship: Must be your son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, or a descendant of these.
  • Support: The child must not provide more than half of their own financial support.