How does Child Tax Credit work?

File your taxes by April 15, 2021 To qualify, a child or dependent must be a US citizen or resident and have a Social Security number. They also must have lived with you for over half the year You can claim your child, stepchild, adopted child, foster child, grandchild, or great-grandchild If you have siblings, step-siblings, or half-siblings that live with you, you can also claim them If you qualify, the government mails your refund or deposits it into your bank account Refunds for filers who claim CTC will not be distributed until the first week of March

Am I eligible for Child Tax Credit?

To be eligible for Child Tax Credit you should be able to answer yes to these questions: Do you have a child or dependent who is under 17 years old and has a Social Security Number? Is your dependent a US citizen, a US national, or a permanent resident? Has your dependent lived with you for over half of the year? Is your dependent claimed on your tax return?

How do I Apply to Child Tax Credit?

File your taxes for free with NYC Free Tax Prep. Go to nyc.gov/taxprep to learn more. If you earn $68,000 or less (with children) or $48,000 or less (without children), you may be eligible to get your taxes done in-person for free. To claim your CTC, you must file Form 1040 , or Form 1040NR .

Child Tax Credit (CTC)

1. How it Works

CTC allows people with qualifying children to reduce their federal income tax by up to $2,000 per child. You can claim both CTC and the credit for Child and Dependent Care expenses.

File your taxes by April 15, 2021
To qualify, a child or dependent must be a US citizen or resident and have a Social Security number. They also must have lived with you for over half the year
You can claim your child, stepchild, adopted child, foster child, grandchild, or great-grandchild
If you have siblings, step-siblings, or half-siblings that live with you, you can also claim them
If you qualify, the government mails your refund or deposits it into your bank account
Refunds for filers who claim CTC will not be distributed until the first week of March

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2. Determine Your Eligibility

2. Determine your eligibility

To be eligible for Child Tax Credit you should be able to answer yes to these questions:

Do you have a child or dependent who is under 17 years old and has a Social Security Number?
Is your dependent a US citizen, a US national, or a permanent resident?
Has your dependent lived with you for over half of the year?
Is your dependent claimed on your tax return?

Take a short survey to see if you might be eligible for this or 30 other programs.

Am I Eligible?

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3. What You Need to Include

3. What you need to include

It’s important to include the right documents when you apply. Your documents show whether the program is right for you.

This page can help you choose the right documents for your application.

If you want to receive your refund through direct deposit, you will need banking information (voided check and/or savings deposit slip). You should bring a copy of last year’s return, if it is available. The income documents listed are necessary to file your taxes.

For each person applying, any one document:

Driver license or official photo ID
Social Security Card for dependents
Social Security Card or ITIN

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4. How to Apply

4. How to apply

Here are your options.

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Tax relief for parents