Can You Get the Child Tax Credit With Little or No Income?
Learn how families with little or no income may qualify for the refundable Child Tax Credit, including the $2,500 earned-income requirement, ACTC refund limits, and how to claim the credit.
Yes, many families with little or no income can still get money from the Child Tax Credit. For the 2025 tax year, up to $1,700 per child can come back to you as a refund, even if you owe no tax. You need at least $2,500 in earned income, meaning money from work, to get it.
Many people hear "tax credit" and assume it only helps people who owe tax. That's true for one part of this credit, but not the other. The rest of this page explains which part can reach you and what counts toward it.
Can you get the Child Tax Credit with little or no income?
You can, as long as you have some income from work. The credit has two parts, and they work differently.
The first part lowers the federal income tax you owe. If you owe nothing, this part has nothing to lower. The second part is the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). It's the refundable piece, so it can come back to you as money even when your tax bill is zero. You claim both parts on Schedule 8812, the IRS form for the Child Tax Credit and ACTC.
Part of the credit | What it does | Most per child (2025 tax year) |
|---|---|---|
Child Tax Credit (nonrefundable part) | Lowers the federal income tax you owe | $2,200 |
Additional Child Tax Credit (refundable part) | Pays you as a refund, even if you owe nothing | $1,700 |
The $1,700 is part of the $2,200, not extra on top of it, per the IRS instructions for Schedule 8812. If you owe no tax, $1,700 per child is the most that can come back to you for 2025. Your child also has to meet the basic IRS rules. They must be under 17 at the end of the year, live with you for more than half the year, and have a valid Social Security number.
How much do you need to earn to get the refundable part?
You need at least $2,500 in earned income for 2025. Your refundable amount is generally 15% of every dollar you earned above $2,500, up to $1,700 per child. Those rules are in the IRS instructions for Schedule 8812.
The table below shows how that math plays out for someone who owes no federal income tax. The figures are estimates, and your actual amount comes from Schedule 8812.
Earned income (2025) | 15% of income over $2,500 | Refund with 1 child | Refund with 2 children |
|---|---|---|---|
$2,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
$5,000 | $375 | $375 | $375 |
$10,000 | $1,125 | $1,125 | $1,125 |
$15,000 | $1,875 | $1,700 | $1,875 |
$25,000 | $3,375 | $1,700 | $3,375 |
Say a single parent with two kids earned $12,000 from a part-time job in 2025. Take away the first $2,500, and $9,500 is left. Fifteen percent of that is $1,425, which is under the two-child cap of $3,400 set in the Schedule 8812 instructions. So up to $1,425 could come back as a refund.
Families with three or more children may have a second way to figure the refund. It's based on the Social Security and Medicare taxes they paid. The Schedule 8812 instructions walk through it, and the form uses whichever method gives you more.
What counts as earned income for the Child Tax Credit?
Earned income means money you got paid for working. Money from benefits, support payments, or savings doesn't count, even if it's what you live on.
Counts as earned income | Doesn't count as earned income |
|---|---|
Wages, salary, and tips | Supplemental Security Income (SSI) |
Net earnings from self-employment or gig work | Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and other Social Security benefits |
A spouse's earnings, if you file a joint return | Unemployment benefits |
Child support and alimony | |
Interest and other investment income |
Self-employment counts the same way a paycheck does. What counts is your net profit, meaning what's left after business costs. Our guide on how the EITC works for self-employed workers explains how gig and 1099 income counts as earned income. The EITC is the Earned Income Tax Credit, a separate credit.
If disability benefits are your main income, they won't count toward the $2,500 earned income threshold. Our guide to how much money you can get from disability benefits covers that side of your budget.
What if you had no earned income last year?
If you earned less than $2,500 from work in 2025, you can't get the refundable part for that year. If you also owe no tax, the nonrefundable part doesn't pay you anything either.
That doesn't mean every door is closed. A few things are worth checking:
- A spouse's work. On a joint return, your combined earned income counts toward the $2,500.
- Next year's return. Each tax year stands on its own. If you start working, even part time, that income counts on your next return.
- Your state. Some states offer their own child credits with different rules. What's available varies a lot from state to state.
Will a Child Tax Credit refund affect SNAP, SSI, or Medicaid?
Generally, no, at least not right away. Under federal law, a tax refund, including a refund from the ACTC, generally doesn't count as income for federal benefit programs. It also doesn't count as a resource, meaning savings, for 12 months after you get it.
This generally covers programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), SSI, and Medicaid, plus state and local programs funded in part with federal money. After that window, any refund money you still have can count toward a program's savings limit. Rules for programs paid for only by your state can differ, so check the current rules with your caseworker.
When will a Child Tax Credit refund arrive?
If you claim the ACTC, the IRS can't send your refund before mid-February. That's a rule set by law, and it applies to your whole refund, not just the credit. The IRS page on when to expect your refund if you claimed the EITC or ACTC explains the timing and how to track it. Filing in January is still fine. The money just won't arrive until after the hold lifts.
What this means for you
Start by adding up what you earned from work in 2025. Gather your W-2s, any 1099s, and your records for gig or self-employment income.
- $2,500 or more: You may be able to get a refund of up to $1,700 per child. You'd claim it on Schedule 8812 with your Form 1040.
- Under $2,500: Check whether a joint return or a state credit changes your picture.
- Getting benefits now: Note the date your refund arrives, since the 12-month window starts then.
For how to claim in your state, see our Child Tax Credit guides, including state claiming guides. When you're ready to fill out the form, our step-by-step instructions for completing Schedule 8812 go line by line. If you also paid for child care so you could work, read how the Child Tax Credit and the Child and Dependent Care Credit differ. You can often claim both. More plain-language guides live on the Turnout blog.
If you'd rather ask a person, you can email us at hello@turnout.co.
FAQ
I get SSI and don't work. Can I get the Child Tax Credit? Not the refundable part, unless you or your spouse had at least $2,500 in earned income in 2025. SSI doesn't count as earned income. Check whether your state offers a child credit with different rules.
Do I have to file a tax return if I don't owe anything? To get the ACTC, yes. The refund only comes through a filed tax return with Schedule 8812 attached. If you earned $2,500 or more, filing is how you claim it.
Does cash or gig work count? Yes, if you report it as self-employment income. Your net earnings count toward the $2,500 threshold. You may also owe self-employment tax on that income.
Is the $1,700 on top of the $2,200? No. The $1,700 refundable amount is part of the $2,200 per-child credit for 2025. If you owe no tax, $1,700 per child is the most you can receive.
Turnout is not a law firm and does not provide legal or tax advice.
It's your turn
The Child Tax Credit is one program, and your family may qualify for others too. Run Turnout's free benefits scan to see which programs you may qualify for in your state.