How to Calculate Child Credit
- 1). Determine if your child is eligible. An eligible child must be a U.S. citizen under age 17. He also must be your dependent child, stepchild or foster child and live with you at least half of the year.
- 2). Add the name, Social Security number and your relationship to the child on line 6c of your 1040 form. Check the box on line 6c next to the dependent's name for each child eligible for a Child Tax Credit.
- 3). Complete your income tax return. Use Publication 972 (see Resources) to determine your credit. You usually will receive a $1,000 credit per child, depending on your income bracket.
- 4). Enter the amount of your calculated Child Tax Credit on line 51 of your 1040 or line 33 of 1040A.
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