Colorado Child Tax Credit & Family Affordability Tax Credit Assistant

Starting in tax year 2024, the Colorado CTC It is no longer based on the Federal CTC. To see if you are eligible for the Federal CTC, go to the IRS Child Tax Credit web page or IRS Child Tax Credit Assistant.

For tax year 2024, the Colorado CTC also includes the new Family Affordability Tax Credit, which has different requirements from the regular Colorado child tax credit.

• For the regular Colorado child tax credit, the child must be under age 6 at the end of 2024 (born in 2019 or later), and your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) must be $75,000 or less ($85,000 if filing jointly).
• For the new Family Affordability Tax Credit, the child must be under age 17 at the end of 2024 (born in 2008 or later), and your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) must be $85,000 or less ($95,000 if filing jointly).

For information about other tax credits and subtractions, go to the Families & Individuals web page.

Are you a full-year or part-year Colorado resident? See Part 1 of the Colorado Individual Income Tax Guide.
If you answered Yes, go to Part 2.
If you answered No, you are not eligible for the Colorado CTC.
 

Do you (or your spouse if filing jointly) have a qualifying child?

Answer the following questions for each child you would like to claim. For more information, see IRS Publication 501.
Relationship Test: Is the child your son or daughter, stepchild, foster child, brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, stepbrother, stepsister, or a descendant of any of them (for example, your grandchild, niece, or nephew)? 

• Residency Test: Did the child live with you for more than half of 2024? 
• Support Test: Did the child not provide over half of their own support for 2024? 
• Joint Return Test: Is the child either not filing a joint federal tax return for 2024, or only filing a joint return to claim a refund of withheld or estimated taxes? 
• Are you either:
  • The only person who may claim the child for this tax year; or 
  • The person who may claim the child under the tiebreaker rules? See Qualifying Child of More Than One Person in IRS Publication 501.
     

If you answered Yes to all five of these questions, the child is your qualifying child.
If you answered No to any of these questions, the child is not your qualifying child. 
If you have qualifying children, go to Part 3.
If you do not have qualifying children, you are not eligible for the Colorado CTC.

Is the child eligible under the CTC age limits?

a. For the regular child tax credit, is your child under age 6 at the end of 2024 (born in 2019 or later)?

b. For the family affordability tax credit, is your child under age 17 at the end of 2024 (born in 2008 or later)?

If you answered Yes to either of these questions, complete the Dependents table on form DR 0104 and mark the “Child Tax Credit” box. Then go to Part 4.

If you answered No to both of these questions, you are not eligible for the Colorado CTC.
 

Does your adjusted gross income (AGI) meet the CTC limits? See line 11 on your Federal Form 1040, 1040 SR, or 1040 SP.

a. For the regular child tax credit, is your AGI $75,000 or less ($85,000 if filing jointly)?

b. For the family affordability tax credit, is your AGI $85,000 or less ($95,000 if filing jointly)?

If you answered Yes to either of these questions, complete form DR 0104CN to calculate and claim your Colorado CTC.
If you answered No to both of these questions, you are not eligible for the Colorado CTC.

For more information, see the following resources:

• CTC & EITC Frequently Asked Questions
• Income Tax Topics: Child Tax Credit
• Income Tax Topics: Family Affordability Tax Credit