Free calculator · Tax year 2026
How much Child Tax Credit do you actually get?
The Child Tax Credit is $2,200 per qualifying child for 2026, but it shrinks by $50 for every $1,000 your income runs above $400,000 filing jointly (or $200,000 otherwise) — so a higher-earning household may get far less than the headline number, or none of it.
Maximum (2 × $2,200)$4,400
Your Child Tax Credit$4,400
Federal tax it removes$4,400
Estimate for tax year 2026, federal only, using the same calculation engine as the Spaife app. It assumes each child qualifies and does not model the refundable ACTC.
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Common questions
- How much is the Child Tax Credit in 2026?
- Up to $2,200 per qualifying child. The amount is indexed for inflation from 2026 under IRC §24(h)(2) as amended by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
- At what income does the Child Tax Credit phase out?
- It starts reducing above $400,000 of modified AGI for married filing jointly and $200,000 for everyone else, falling $50 for each $1,000 (or part of $1,000) above the threshold until it reaches zero.
- Can I still get the credit if I owe no tax?
- Possibly, through the refundable Additional Child Tax Credit — but this calculator does not model refundability. It shows the credit you earn and how much federal tax it removes. If your credit is larger than your tax, check the ACTC rules or ask a preparer.
- Does the credit depend on how many children I have?
- Yes — it is per qualifying child, and the phase-out applies to the combined amount.
Sources
- 26 U.S.C. §24 — child tax credit; §24(b) — the income phase-out.
- 26 U.S.C. §24(h)(2), as amended by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Pub. L. 119-21) — $2,200 per child, indexed from 2026.
- IRS Schedule 8812 — credits for qualifying children, including the refundable ACTC this page does not model.
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