Child Tax Credit: Many Families Expected It to Fall to $1,000 in 2026—Here’s What Actually Happened

The Child Tax Credit did not fall to $1,000 as many families expected. Instead, eligible taxpayers can still claim up to $2,200 per qualifying child under current law. (Pexels).

For months, many parents worried that the federal Child Tax Credit would be cut in half after 2025, dropping from $2,000 to $1,000 per qualifying child. Those concerns stemmed from the scheduled expiration of provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Instead, Congress took a different path by passing new tax legislation in 2025 that prevented the reduction and actually increased the maximum credit. Here’s what changed, who benefits, and what families should know before filing future tax returns.

Why So Many Families Expected the Child Tax Credit to Shrink