Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit for 16-19 year olds
Has your Child Benefit or Child Tax Credit stopped because you have a child who has turned 16?
These benefits usually stop on 31 August after a child turns 16, but if your child is in full-time approved education or training, you can still claim for them until they are 19, or in some cases 20.
Changes introduced this year mean that Child Tax Credit will also stop automatically when you child turns 18 or 19, unless you tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that they are in approved education or training.
Approved education or training can include GCSEs, A/AS levels, national diplomas and NVQs up to level 3, as well as apprenticeships or traineeships. You can find information about what counts as approved education or training on the GOV.UK website atwww.gov.uk. The education must be non-advanced, so studying for a degree at university doesn’t count. A young person must be accepted onto an approved course or training before their 19th birthday to be eligible.
You can tell HMRC if your child is eligible in the following ways:
- by phoning 0300 200 3100
- by post to Child Tax Credits, Tax Credits Office, Preston, PR1 4AT, and to Child Benefit Office, PO Box 1, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE88 1AA. You’ll need to write to each office separately if you’re claiming both
- online athttps://online.hmrc.gov.ukfor Child Benefit only.
You can get help with online benefit issues, and can use our computers, at our new digital claiming centre, at Salford City Bureau in Salford Precinct.
It’s also important to let HMRC know if a young person leaves approved education or training, for instance to start work or because their course has ended. If you don’t report a change, you could build up an overpayment, which you will have to pay back. You could also be given a penalty for failing to report a change, or even prosecuted for benefit fraud if you are found to have deliberately claimed money you were not entitled to.
For help from Salford Citizens Advice visit your local bureau in Eccles, Irlam and Cadishead, Salford City, Swinton, Walkden or at Salford Royal.
Telephone our advice line: 0844 826 9695 (if calling from a landline or if calling from a mobile 0300 456 2554), which is now open on Saturdays.
You can also follow us on Twitter for regular news and advice updates, or by going to www.salfordadvice.org.uk you can find out about all the advice services in Salford, which have came together to make getting advice easier.
Tom Togher.
FAQs
Has your Child Benefit or Child Tax Credit stopped because you have a child who has turned 16? These benefits usually stop on 31 August after a child turns 16, but if your child is in full-time approved education or training, you can still claim for them until they are 19, or in some cases 20.
What is the child tax credit for a 19 year old? ›
The child tax credit provides a credit of up to $2,000 per child under age 17. If the credit exceeds taxes owed, families may receive up to $1,600 per child as a refund. Other dependents—including children ages 17–18 and full-time college students ages 19–24—can receive a nonrefundable credit of up to $500 each.
Why am I not qualifying for child tax credit? ›
Key Takeaways. There are seven qualifying tests to determine eligibility for the Child Tax Credit: age, relationship, support, dependent status, citizenship, length of residency and family income. If you aren't able to claim the Child Tax Credit for a dependent, they might be eligible for the Credit for Other Dependent ...
What is the maximum amount of the child tax credit per qualifying child? ›
2021 CalEITC credit
| Number of qualifying children | California maximum income | CalEITC (up to) |
|---|
| None | $30,000 | $255 |
| 1 | $30,000 | $1,698 |
| 2 | $30,000 | $2,809 |
| 3 or more | $30,000 | $3,160 |
At the end of January, the U.S. House of Representatives passed $78 billion tax legislation that includes a newly expanded child tax credit (CTC) and various tax breaks for businesses.
Can parents claim a 19 year old on taxes? ›
To meet the qualifying child test, your child must be younger than you or your spouse if filing jointly and either younger than 19 years old or be a "student" younger than 24 years old as of the end of the calendar year.
Can I claim my 19 year old for earned income credit? ›
Qualifying children can include your son, daughter, stepchild, adopted child or a descendant, foster child, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister or a descendant of one of these, provided they are age 18 or younger as of the end of the year (or 23 or young if the child is a full-time student).
Who is not eligible for dependent tax credit? ›
You must have earned income throughout the year to qualify. Any money earned from pensions, foreign earned income, Social Security benefits, workers' comp, unemployment, investment income from interest or dividends or child support does not count.
What is the child tax credit for a 17 year old? ›
This means a child who turns 17 during the tax year doesn't qualify for the purpose of the CTC. However, a 17-year-old child (or any age dependent) may qualify for the other dependent tax credit, which is worth $500.
Can I claim my child as a dependent if they are over 18? ›
There may come a time when you can no longer claim your child as a dependent. It might be because of their age (your child no longer qualifies if over the age of 18 or 23 if a full-time student unless disabled). It also might be because you no longer pay for half their financial support.
The current child tax credit is $2,000 per child, but not all of that is refundable. If passed, the bill would incrementally raise the amount of the credit available as a refund, increasing it to $1,800 for 2023 tax returns, $1,900 for the following year and $2,000 for 2025 tax returns.
How do I know if I qualify for child tax credit? ›
California families qualify with earned income of $30,931 or less. You also must have a qualifying child under 6 years old at the end of the tax year and qualify for CalEITC – with one exception. For tax year 2022 forward, no earned income is required and you may have a net loss of as much as $33,497.
How much do you get for a dependent over 18? ›
The maximum credit amount is $500 for each dependent who meets certain conditions. This credit can be claimed for: Dependents of any age, including those who are age 18 or older. Dependents who have Social Security numbers or Individual Taxpayer Identification numbers.
What did Biden say about Child Tax Credit? ›
The budget calls on Congress to expand the child tax credit to the levels that were in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, “which helped cut child poverty nearly in half in 2021 to its lowest level in history,” the proposal says.
Is the government still doing Child Tax Credit? ›
State Young Child Tax Credit:
As of tax year 2022 forward, taxpayers do not need to have earned income to be eligible. However, you must otherwise meet CalEITC and YCTC requirements. To see if you qualify, how to apply, or claim prior tax years, visit the FTB page.
How does Child Tax Credit work? ›
The Child Tax Credit is a federal support program for Americans who are raising kids. Claiming the credit lowers your tax bill by up to $2,000 per qualifying child under age 17 who is under your care. So if you owe $2,000 in federal income tax and qualify for a credit worth $2,000, your tax bill could be wiped out.
How do I calculate my child tax credit? ›
Calculating the amount of the Child Tax Credit requires a few key numbers. Take the number of children that qualify for the tax credit and multiply this by $2,000 to calculate the total potential credit.
How much do you get back for a child on taxes 2024? ›
How much is the 2024 child tax credit? The maximum tax credit available per kid is $2,000 for each child under 17 on Dec. 31, 2023. Only a portion is refundable this year, up to $1,600 per child.
How much is the child tax credit for 2024 per child? ›
The suggested increments are $1,800 for the 2023 tax year, $1,900 for the 2024 tax year, and $2,000 for the 2025 tax year.
