Child Tax Credit Calculator
Illustrative estimate only. Not tax advice.
Disclaimer: Educational-only estimate based on simplified assumptions; not official or current law.
How to Use This Calculator
Enter your AGI
Use your estimated adjusted gross income.
Select filing status
Choose the filing status that applies to you.
Enter number of children
Provide the count of eligible dependents by age group.
Calculate
See an illustrative estimate and read the disclaimer.
Formula
estimate = max(0, (u6×A + u18×B) − max(0, AGI − threshold) × rate)
Example (Illustrative):
AGI = $100,000 (Single), u6 = 1, u18 = 1; A = 3,600; B = 3,000; threshold = $75,000; rate = 0.05
base = 3,600 + 3,000 = 6,600; over = 25,000; phaseout = 1,250; estimate = $5,350
About Child Tax Credit Calculator
This Child Tax Credit calculator provides an educational demonstration of how income thresholds and the number of qualifying children influence potential credit amounts. The credit has evolved over time and may differ across tax years in terms of eligibility, amounts per child, refundable portions, and phaseout thresholds. Because of this complexity and frequent legislative changes, the calculator intentionally uses simplified and clearly labeled illustrative values to show how phaseouts reduce the base credit as adjusted gross income increases. Enter your AGI, filing status, and the number of children in each age group to see a rough estimate. The aim is to build intuition—more qualifying children generally increase the potential credit, while higher income reduces it through phaseouts. Actual calculations depend on many factors, including age and residency criteria, Social Security number requirements, shared custody rules, refundable vs. nonrefundable portions, and interactions with other credits. Always verify current law and instructions on IRS forms and publications for the applicable tax year, or consult a qualified tax professional for advice tailored to your situation. Treat results as a learning aid rather than a filing tool.
When to Use This Calculator
- Education: Understand how phaseouts can reduce credits
- Scenario planning: Explore the effect of income and family size
- Discussions: Prepare questions for a tax professional
- Budgeting: Rough in potential credits for planning
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the current CTC law?
Not necessarily. Values are illustrative. Check IRS guidance for current rules.
Are partial refunds included?
This tool does not model refundable vs. nonrefundable portions; it’s a high-level estimator.
What defines a qualifying child?
Age, relationship, residency, support tests, and SSN requirements typically apply. See IRS rules.
Can I use this to file?
No. Use official forms/software or a tax professional for filing.