Child Tax Credit Calculator
Work out the 2026 Child Tax Credit and how much of it is refundable.
About the Child Tax Credit Calculator
For 2026 the credit is $2,200 for each qualifying child under 17 with a Social Security number. It phases out by $50 per $1,000 of modified AGI above $200,000 ($400,000 married filing jointly). If the credit is more than your tax, up to $1,700 per child can be refunded as the Additional Child Tax Credit, limited to 15% of earned income over $2,500.
The formula
Refundable = min(unused credit, $1,700 × children, 15% × (earned income − $2,500))
Worked example
Example: Child Tax Credit = $6,600
- Inputs: Filing status: Single; Modified adjusted gross income: $110,000; Earned income (wages, self-employment): $110,000; Children under 17 with SSNs: 3.
- Formula: Refundable = min(unused credit, $1,700 × children, 15% × (earned income − $2,500))
- Result: Child Tax Credit = $6,600
Questions people ask
Do older children count?
17- and 18-year-olds and other dependants may qualify for the $500 credit for other dependants instead.
Is it paid monthly?
No, it's claimed on your tax return.
Sources
The rules and rates this calculator uses come from the official pages below. Its results are estimates, not an official determination, and rules change, so check the latest figures there before you act on them.