Increase the Child Tax Credit and make it fully refundable
The federal Child Tax Credit reduces taxes owed by families with children. The maximum is $2,000 per child per year. During COVID-19, Congress temporarily expanded it to $3,000-$3,600 per child and made it fully refundable (payable even to families owing no taxes), which dramatically cut child poverty. That expansion has expired. A proposal would make the expanded, fully refundable Child Tax Credit permanent.
Arguments For & Against
Pro Argument
The temporary expansion of the Child Tax Credit lifted millions of children out of poverty in the US. Making it permanent would achieve a lasting reduction in child poverty. Investing in children's well-being early prevents much more costly social problems later.
Con Argument
The expanded Child Tax Credit is extremely expensive, adding hundreds of billions to the deficit. We cannot afford to make it permanent given the national debt. The program should remain targeted and means-tested.
Source document: SS-FC-Quaire-Full-0924.pdf
| Type | Organization | Date | Nat | Rep | Dem | Gap | Metric |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New PPC Survey (2026) | Program for Public Consultation | February 2026 | 78% | 74% | 84% | 10% | favor |
| Deliberative Survey | Program for Public Consultation | August 2024 | 74% | 64% | 83% | 19% | favor |
Program for Public Consultation — February 2026
Now, let’s turn to a proposal about the tax credit for parents with children under age 17. A tax credit reduces the total amount of taxes a person owes. Some tax credits are also refundable, so if the tax credit is larger than the amount of taxes a person owes, they keep what is leftover. As you may know, in 2021 Congress passed a law to temporarily increase the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 up to $3,600 per child, and to make it fully refundable. That law expired in 2022, and the tax credit has gone back down to being $2,000 and partially refundable. Here is a proposal: Increase the child tax credit back to $3,600 per child, and make it fully refundable again.
Program for Public Consultation — August 2024
Increase the maximum Child Tax Credit to $3,600 a year for each child under age 6, and $3,000 for each child aged 6-17. Very high-income parents would receive a smaller credit. Parents who have not earned income in the past year would also receive it. Make it fully refundable for all parents who receive it, no matter their income.
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