How to Increase a Child Tax Credit

Child tax credits can be very helpful during tax time. They can help give you a larger return of your tax money depending on how much your family makes each year. There are ways that you can increase this limit for the year in a legal fashion.

1. Look at your W-2 forms that you received from your employer for the year. According to the IRS website, for tax year 2011, if you are married and filing together with an adjusted gross income of less than $110,000, married and filing separately with an adjusted gross income of less than $55,000, or single with an adjusted gross income of less than $75,000, you are eligible for the maximum child tax credit up to three children.


2. Determine the amount of taxes you owe the IRS. For instance, if you owe $500 and you received a child tax credit of $2,000, then your child tax credit will pay for the taxes that are owed and you will receive a refund of the remaining $1,500.


3. Check your eligibility for additional child tax credits. This credit is only awarded to those that were not eligible to receive the full child tax credit. There are two ways to calculate this credit: the first is by estimating 15 percent of the family's income above $3,000 subtracted by the amount that you qualified for. The second way is if your family has three or more children to claim and the amount of tax you paid out is greater than the amount of the child tax credit.