Why can I not get the full child tax credit for my 17 year old high school student?

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
January 22, 2021
1 reply
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It’s not like kids get cheaper as they get older. Why is the credit removed at this age even though they are still living in our house and we provide 100% for him?

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macuser_22

Employee

Because that is how Congress wrote the tax law. The cut-off age is no older than 16.

**Disclaimer: This post is for discussion purposes only and is NOT tax advice. The author takes no responsibility for the accuracy of any information in this post.**

Hal_Al

Employee

Your child is too old (over 16). You can still claim your child, as a dependent. What you can't claim is the Child tax credit. This comes as a big surprise to many parents the year their child turns 17. A child over age 16 no longer qualifies for the Child Tax credit (CTC). Although a child can still be a student dependent through age 23, and a qualifying child for EIC, the Child Tax Credit expires the year they turn 17 and you no longer get the $2000 CTC. Instead you will get the non-refundable (up to) $500 Other Dependent Credit.