Child Tax Credit Changes and FAQs for Your 2022 Tax Return

The bigger and better child tax credit that applied for 2021 is gone, replaced by a new set of rules for taking the credit on 2022 returns.

child tax credit highlighted on notebook
(Image credit: Getty Images)

 As you get ready to prepare your 2022 tax return, or to gather your records to take to your accountant or other paid preparer, you'll want to keep in mind the tax changes that applied for 2022 and how they should be reported on your return. One of the most significant changes for 2022 was to the child tax credit, which is claimed by tens of millions of parents each year.

The bigger and better child tax credit that applied for the 2021 tax year is gone. The enhancements that Congress made to the child credit in the 2021 stimulus law were temporary, applying only for 2021. They all expired on December 31, 2021, including the monthly payments, higher credit amount, letting 17-year-olds qualify and full refundability. 

Democratic lawmakers had hoped to get these expansions extended through 2022 and beyond, touting the impact that a higher and fully refundable child tax credit would have on reducing child poverty in the United States. But they were unable to make a deal with congressional Republicans before Congress adjourned at the end of 2022. So, the rules for taking the child credit revert back to those that were in place for 2020.

This is all enough to make your head spin. But don't worry – we have answers to frequently asked questions about the 2022 child credit, including how to report the child tax credit on your 2022 tax return.

Joy Taylor
Editor, The Kiplinger Tax Letter

Joy is an experienced CPA and tax attorney with an L.L.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law. After many years working for big law and accounting firms, Joy saw the light and now puts her education, legal experience and in-depth knowledge of federal tax law to use writing for Kiplinger. She writes and edits The Kiplinger Tax Letter and contributes federal tax and retirement stories to kiplinger.com and Kiplinger’s Retirement Report. Her articles have been picked up by the Washington Post and other media outlets. Joy has also appeared as a tax expert in newspapers, on television and on radio discussing federal tax developments.