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By Aliss Higham
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As tax season approaches, families are preparing for another round of changes to the Child Tax Credit.
An overhaul approved during the summer has locked in higher benefit levels and clarified who qualifies, reshaping how parents will claim the credit when they file in 2026. While much of the framework will look familiar, several details could affect how much families receive—and when.
The Details
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which took effect in 2018, doubled the credit from $1,000 to $2,000 per child. That increase was originally temporary and slated to expire at the end of 2025. Instead, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, President Donald Trump’s sweeping spending package passed in July, made the higher credit permanent and preserved the expanded income thresholds that determine eligibility.
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According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the legislation increased the maximum Child Tax Credit to $2,200 starting in 2025, up from the previous $2,000 limit. That higher amount will apply to tax year 2025 returns, which families will file by April 2026. The $2,200 cap will remain in place for that filing season and will then be adjusted for inflation beginning with the 2027 tax year.
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Not all of the credit is refundable, but a significant portion still is. The IRS says the refundable share of the Child Tax Credit will be $1,700 for 2026, unchanged from 2025. This refundable amount is what families can receive back as a refund if their total tax bill is smaller than the credit they qualify for.
The new law also cements identification requirements first introduced under the TCJA. Children claimed for the credit must have a Social Security number, and taxpayers claiming the credit must also meet Social Security number rules. For married couples filing jointly, at least one parent must have a Social Security number to qualify.
Eligibility still depends on meeting the dependent test. To claim the credit, the child must be claimed as a dependent and generally must be a son or daughter, adopted or foster child, sibling, niece, nephew or grandchild. The child must be under 19, or under 24 if they are a full-time student for at least five months of the year, or permanently disabled at any age. Additionally, the child must have lived with the taxpayer for more than half the year and must not have provided more than half of their own financial support.
The Tax Policy Center estimates that slightly less than 90 percent of families with children received the Child Tax Credit in 2025, with an average benefit of $2,520. That figure is higher than the per-child maximum because many households qualify for the credit for more than one child.
How Long Does It Take To Get A Refund?
For most taxpayers, refunds arrive relatively quickly. The IRS typically issues refunds within 21 days for people who file electronically and choose direct deposit. The deadline for federal income tax returns for the 2025 tax year is Wednesday, April 15, 2026.
That timeline can stretch longer for returns that include certain credits, including the Child Tax Credit and the Additional Child Tax Credit. The delays are usually part of efforts to reduce tax return fraud, meaning some families may need to wait a bit longer for their refunds to arrive.
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