5 Things To Know About the Child Tax Credit in 2025 If You’re Part of a ‘Nontraditional’ Family
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Martin Dasko
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Amber Barkley
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The IRS announced that, as of March 28, 2025, it had received 89.6 million federal tax returns. The agency expects to receive over 140 million tax returns for the 2024 year by the April 15 federal deadline.
If you haven’t filed a tax return yet because you’re uncertain if you qualify for the child tax credit (CTC), you can find out here who qualifies — particularly in nontraditional families — and what you need to know when you file your taxes.
Here are five things to know about the child tax credit in 2025.
$1.7K Is Refundable
For each of your qualifying dependents under the age of 17, you could qualify for a tax credit of up to $2,000. Of that, $1,700 is refundable, meaning if you don’t owe taxes on your return this year, you can still get $1,700 back for each dependent you claim.
Note that this credit is only available if you earn $200,000 or less as a single filer, or $400,000 or less filing jointly.
The Child Doesn’t Have To Be Biological or Adopted
“A child does not need to be your biological or adopted child for you to claim the child tax credit,” said Kari Brummond, an accountant and enrolled agent at TaxCure.
If you’re in a nontraditional family, you just have to ensure that the child qualifies as your dependent. This can be a variety of relationships: grandchildren, stepchildren, foster children, nieces and nephews, siblings, half-siblings and stepsiblings.
The IRS website lists some of the following conditions for your dependents to qualify for the child tax credit for the 2024 tax year:
- Be under age 17 at the end of the year
- Have lived with you for over half the tax year
- Not have provided more than half of their own support
- Be a U.S. citizen, National or resident alien with a valid Social Security number
- Be claimed as your dependent on your tax return.
You Don’t Need a Formal Court Order for Dependents
“When dealing with relatives, you don’t need a formal court order or custody arrangement to claim them,” Brummond said. “As long as you meet the criteria, you can claim the child tax credit.”
If you’re in a nontraditional family, you may have ended up in this situation for numerous reasons. It’s important to know that you can apply for this credit if the conditions are met.
You Can’t Claim All Children Living With You
Brummond pointed out that you must generally be related to the child through blood, adoption or marriage. “For instance, you can’t claim a child tax credit for your boyfriend or fiance’s child, but if you were married, you would be able to claim the CTC for that child as long as you met all of the other criteria.”
When claiming dependents on your tax return, it could get tricky in a nontraditional family if you’re not married or haven’t legally adopted the child. You’ll want to consult with a tax professional before trying to claim a partner’s child.
There Are Exceptions for Foster Children
If you have had a foster child living with you for at least half the tax year, you may still be able to claim the CTC for them, even though you’re not legally related.
The IRS requirements for foster children to qualify for the CTC include their being placed with you by an authorized authority, like the state, local or tribal government, or through the court system.
The IRS website lists common errors with the child tax credit that you’ll want to avoid when filing your taxes this year. Take the time to read through the information to ensure that you apply for all relevant tax credits when filing your tax returns.
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