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FREE CHILD TAX CREDIT 2024 CALCULATOR

ESTIMATE YOUR CHILD TAX REFUND

The Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) refund for US citizens living abroad. See how much you can claim from our US Child Tax Credit Calculator.

You don’t need to have lived in the US or paid any US tax to qualify.

Published on January 10, 2020
Updated on March 04, 2025

Written by: Clark Stott Written by: Clark Stott
Reviewed by: Aya Takriti Reviewed by: Aya Takriti

Do I qualify for a refund?

Taxpayer

For the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) refund, you’ll need to be earning an income outside of the United States, either from an employer or self-employment.

You can’t file Form 2555 and qualify for the refund because you’ll be automatically excluded. Contact us, and we will look at alternative filing options for you, such as filing using the Foreign Tax C

Your dependents

Your dependents (children) must be 16 years old or younger for the entirety of the year you are claiming for. They must have a valid Social Security Number (SSN) and hold US citizenship. Their SSN must have been issued before the tax return filing deadline, including any valid extensions.

Self-employed

If you’re self-employed, you must also have made contributions to your host country’s social security equivalent, such as National Insurance in the UK.

The conditions above assume you are filing from a high-income tax country such as the UK, Australia, NZ, or Canada. However, many other countries are also valid, including almost all EU countries.

FAQS

What You Should Know About the Additional Child Tax Credit this 2025

  • Credit Amount: Under the 2025 tax reform, the Child Tax Credit stayed at US$2,000 per qualifying child. The age cut-off also remains at 17 (the child must be under 17 at the end of the year for taxpayers to claim the credit).
  • Eligibility: The child must have a valid SSN to qualify for the US$2,000 Child Tax Credit and it must have been issued before the tax return filing deadline, including extensions.
  • Refundability: The credit’s refundable portion is US$1,700. After 2025, this amount will be adjusted for inflation.
  • Income Threshold: The earned income threshold for the refundable credit is lowered to US$2,500.
  • Credit Phaseout: The beginning credit phaseout for the child tax credit remained at US$200,000 (US$400,000 for joint filers). 

What if I pay and I don’t get the refund?

refund   guarantee

We’ll refund all of your fees.
We’re the professionals. We’ll take the risk. Why should you?

Conditions apply.

– What’s the process? –

Child Tax Credit Process

Watch Leo discussing the Child Tax Refund

See where he provides information on where to find help and resources for understanding and claiming the Child Tax Credit.

A little about us…

Expat Tax Online, LLC is owned and operated by Expat US Tax, which has been successfully trading since 2011, successfully filing over 9,000 tax returns. Both companies are owned by Andrew J. Landin.

2025 will mark Andrew’s 22nd year of expatriate taxes in a career that started with Ernst & Young in London before relocating to Melbourne and joining PricewaterhouseCoopers. Learn more about us.

How much will it cost me to file?

A standard tax return with an e-file is just US$298. There could be additional fees if you have additional filing requirements.

who-prepares-my-tax-return Who prepares my tax return?

Your return will pass through 3 stages: Assessment, Preparation, and Approval. The Preparation stage is completed by a licensed (EA, CPA) tax preparer. The Approval stage is completed by a senior tax specialist (EA, CPA) with a minimum 8 years experience in international US tax preparation.

how-long-does-it-takes How long does it takes?

Once we have all your information, you can expect prepared tax returns within 20 working days.
Allow around 20-25 days for the IRS Streamlined Amnesty program.

Money-back Money back guarantee

If you’re not completely satisfied with the accuracy of your tax return, you can get all your money back.

Simply tell us before your return is filed, and we’ll arrange a refund.

WHO DO I CONTACT FOR HELP?

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