Child Tax Credit and Additional Child Tax Credit Q&As
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If you have one or more children under age 17 living with you during the calendar year, you may qualify for the Child Tax Credit.
You may also be able to take the Additional Child Tax Credit if you meet the qualifications.
What is the Child Tax Credit?
The Child Tax Credit is a nonrefundable tax credit for each qualifying child you claim on your return, worth up to $1,000 per qualifying child. The credit is limited to the amount of tax on your return. You cannot receive any excess credit as a refund.
What is the Additional Child Tax Credit?
If you cannot take the full Child Tax Credit because you owe less income tax than the amount of the credit, you may be able to claim the Additional Child Tax Credit.
This credit is refundable, which means you can take this credit even if you owe little or no income tax. To qualify for this credit, you must have more than $3,000 in earned income.
The Additional Child Tax Credit is based in part on the Child Tax Credit. If you do not qualify for the Child Tax Credit, you cannot take the Additional Child Tax Credit.
What are the qualifications for each child?
A person must meet both of these tests to qualify as your child for the Child Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit:
- The child must be under age 17 at the end of the calendar year, and
- You must claim the child as a dependent on your return.
You can use TaxAct's Dependent Quiz to help you determine if someone qualifies as your dependent.
Is this credit limited at higher income levels?
Your credit begins to phase out when your modified adjusted gross income exceeds $75,000 ($110,000 if filing jointly, or $55,000 if you are married and filing separately).
The credit phases out by $50 for each $1,000 or part of $1,000 that your modified adjusted gross income exceeds these amounts.
Your modified adjusted gross income for this purpose is your adjusted gross income on Form 1040, plus certain foreign income.
What information do I need to claim this credit on my tax return?
When you enter your dependent children and other information in TaxAct, the program calculates any Child Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit for which you are eligible.
What tax form do I use to claim this credit?
TaxAct calculates the Child Tax Credit on the Child Tax Credit Worksheet. TaxAct calculates the Additional Child Tax Credit on Schedule 8812.
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Upcoming Tax Dates
February 10 — Social security, Medicare, and withheld income tax
File Form 941 for the fourth quarter of 2018. This due date applies only if you deposited the tax for the quarter timely, properly, and in full.
February 10 — Certain small employers
File Form 944 to report social security and Medicare taxes and withheld income tax for 2018. This due date applies only if you deposited the tax for the year timely, properly, and in full.
February 10 — Farm employers
File Form 943 to report social security and Medicare taxes and withheld income tax for 2018. This due date applies only if you deposited the tax for the year timely, properly, and in full.
February 10 — Federal unemployment tax
File Form 940 for 2018. This due date applies only if you deposited the tax for the year timely, properly, and in full.
February 10 — Employees who work for tips
If you received $20 or more in tips during January, report them to your employer
Details
February 15 — All businesses
Give annual information statements to recipients of certain payments you made during 2018
Details
February 15 — Social security, Medicare, and withheld income tax
If the monthly deposit rule applies, deposit the tax for payments in January.
February 15 — All employers
Begin withholding income tax from the pay of any employee who claimed exemption from withholding in 2018, but did not give you Form W4 to continue the exemption this year.
February 15 — Individuals
If you claimed exemption from income tax withholding last year on the Form W-4, you must file a new Form W-04 by this date to continue your exemption for another year
Details
February 18 — Everyone
Federal Holiday (Washington's Birthday)
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February 28 — All businesses
File information returns (for example, Forms 1099) for certain payments you made during 2018.
February 28 — Payers of gambling winnings.
File Form 1096 along with Copy A of all the Forms W2G you issued for 2018. If you file Forms W2G electronically, your due date for filing them with the IRS will be extended to March 31. The due date for giving the recipient these forms remains January 31.
February 28 — All employers
File Form W3, Transmittal of Wage and Tax Statements, along with Copy A of all the Forms W2 you issued for 2018. If you file Forms W2 electronically, your due date for filing them with the SSA will be extended to March 31. The due date for giving the recipient these forms remains January 31.
February 28 — Large food and beverage establishment employers
File Form 8027, Employer's Annual Information Return of Tip Income and Allocated Tips. Use Form 8027T, Transmittal of Employer's Annual Information Return of Tip Income and Allocated Tips, to summarize and transmit Forms 8027 if you have more than one establishment. If you file Forms 8027 electronically, your due date for filing them with the IRS will be extended to March 31.