To qualify for the Child Tax Credit, the child must meet which of the following criteria?

To qualify for the Child Tax Credit, the primary requirement is that the child must be claimed as a dependent on the taxpayer's return. This means the taxpayer has the legal privilege to claim the child, which typically involves meeting specific criteria set by the IRS, such as age, relationship, and residency requirements.

For instance, the child must be under the age of 17 at the end of the tax year, must be the taxpayer’s son, daughter, stepchild, eligible foster child, or descendant of any of these, and must live with the taxpayer for more than half the year. By ensuring the child qualifies as a dependent, the taxpayer can claim the Child Tax Credit, which aims to provide financial relief for families with dependent children.

While being part of the household or under the care of a guardian can be relevant factors in claiming a child as a dependent, they do not directly fulfill the core requirement needed for the Child Tax Credit. Similarly, bearing the taxpayer's last name does not impact the child's eligibility for this credit. Thus, meeting the requirement to be claimed as a dependent is key to qualifying for the Child Tax Credit.