What will the EITC and Child Tax Credit actually pay me?
Most pages tell you the headline figure. This works out the part you can actually receive as a refund — which for lower earners is often much less than $2,200 a child, for a reason nobody explains.
Usually your children under 19, or under 24 if a full-time student, living with you more than half the year. A child of any age with a permanent disability also counts.
For the Child Tax Credit. Often a smaller number than the one above, because the CTC cut-off is 17.
Wages, salary, tips and net self-employment income. Not benefits, unemployment, child support or investment income.
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The bit that catches people out
The Child Tax Credit is $2,200 per child, and up to $1,700 of that is refundable — meaning it can be paid to you even if you owe no tax. But the refundable part is calculated as 15% of your earned income above $2,500. So a parent of three earning $15,000 does not receive $5,100 refundable; they receive about $1,875, because 15% of $12,500 is the ceiling. The rest of the credit is only useful against tax owed.
The EITC works the opposite way round at the bottom of the income scale: it grows as you earn, phasing in at up to 45 cents per dollar, so for many low-earning households an extra shift increases the credit rather than reducing it. Between the two, the relationship between earnings and benefit is genuinely counter-intuitive, which is why a calculator beats a table here.
Common questions
How much is the Child Tax Credit for 2026?
The credit is $2,200 per qualifying child under 17, of which up to $1,700 per child can be paid to you as a refund. The remaining $500 is non-refundable — it reduces tax you owe but is not paid out if you owe nothing.
Why am I not getting the full $2,200 per child?
The refundable part of the Child Tax Credit is 15 percent of your earned income above $2,500, capped at $1,700 per child. A household earning $12,000 reaches about $1,425 of refundable credit regardless of how many children it has. To receive the full $1,700 per child you need roughly $13,833 of earned income per child.
What is the maximum EITC for tax year 2026?
For tax year 2026 the maximum Earned Income Tax Credit is $664 with no qualifying children, $4,427 with one, $7,316 with two, and $8,231 with three or more.
Does earning more reduce my EITC?
Not at first. The EITC phases in as you earn — it rises with every extra dollar until it reaches the maximum, then stays flat, and only then begins to reduce. Many low earners are in the phase-in range, where working more increases the credit.
Do I have to file a tax return to get these credits?
Yes. Both credits are claimed on a federal tax return, and you must file even if your income is low enough that filing is not otherwise required. This is the single most common reason eligible households receive nothing.
When will I get my refund?
By law the IRS cannot issue refunds that include the EITC or the refundable Child Tax Credit before mid-February, however early you file.
Figures for tax year 2026, the return filed in early 2027. EITC maximums and phase-out thresholds from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 (see the IRS announcement); Child Tax Credit at $2,200 per child with up to $1,700 refundable. Last verified 30 July 2026. An estimate, not tax advice — it covers only these two federal credits and ignores your wider tax position and any state credits. Many states operate their own EITC on top of the federal one. See also the SNAP estimator and our guide to debt help.