WASHINGTON—Legislation to expand the Child Tax Credit is currently stalled in the Senate amid deep disagreements about its passage before the 2024 election.
The federal Child Tax Credit was first introduced in 1997 and currently allows parents with children up to age 17 to write off up to $2,000 per child on their annual tax burden, of which $1,600 is refundable. The credit was temporarily expanded to $3,000 for the year 2021 and made fully refundable—leading to an estimated 44 percent reduction in the national child poverty rate. Proponents argue that it’s necessary to help low-income families afford food and clothing, among other things, for their children.
