IRS grants up to $8,800 and deposits it into the bank accounts of people who file Form 1040 and meet these requirements

The Child Credit Tax (CTC) helps families with qualifying children get a tax break from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This benefit is non-refundable and has a set maximum reimbursement of $8,800 for eligible recipients.

The first requirement is to complete Form 1040 to claim the credit. Also, taxpayers must meet other criteria based on their income, filing status, and number of qualifying children.

It is important to know that if you are receiving this benefit during 2026, it is because you filed the form according to your 2025 taxes.

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Who qualifies for the IRS $8,800 tax credit?

Claiming the Child Tax Credit (CTC) depends on meeting specific eligibility criteria. The tax benefit is intended to provide financial relief to qualifying families raising children, subject to income limits and other requirements.

To qualify for this reimbursement, the taxpayer and each eligible child must have a Social Security number valid for employment in the United States, issued by the tax return’s due date, including extensions. Eligible families may receive up to $2,200 per qualifying child.

For the 2025 tax year, a child generally must meet the following conditions to qualify for the CTC:

• Be younger than 17 at the end of 2025.
• Be the taxpayer’s son, daughter, stepchild, eligible foster child, sibling, stepsibling, half-sibling, or a descendant of any of these relatives, such as a grandchild, niece, or nephew.
• Have provided no more than half of their own financial support during the tax year.
• Have lived with the taxpayer for more than six months of the year.
• Be listed as a dependent on the taxpayer’s tax return.
• Do not file a joint tax return unless it is submitted solely to claim a refund of withheld or estimated taxes.
• Be a US citizen, US national, or US resident alien.

Families with four qualifying children could receive up to $8,800 in total, provided that each child meets the eligibility requirements for the maximum credit.

This amount is not guaranteed for every family with four children, as the final benefit depends on individual eligibility and applicable tax rules.

How to claim the Child Tax Credit

Taxpayers must file Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR and complete Schedule 8812 to calculate the Child Tax Credit. They must also identify each qualifying child in the dependents section of their tax return and select the corresponding Child Tax Credit box. The IRS provides detailed instructions to help taxpayers complete the required forms correctly.

How is the Child Tax Credit deposited into a bank account?

Taxpayers can receive their tax refund through direct deposit by providing their bank account and routing numbers when filing Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR. The Child Tax Credit is included in the tax calculation, so the amount received depends on the taxpayer’s overall refund eligibility.

Those who qualify for the refundable Additional Child Tax Credit may receive money back even if their federal income tax liability is lower than the credit amount.

The IRS recommends direct deposit as a faster and more secure way to receive refunds. Taxpayers can check the status of their refund through the agency’s Where’s My Refund? tool.