The Child Tax Credit: A Lifeline for Ohio Families

By Sara Loken, Managing Director of Communications

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Ohio families are working harder than ever, yet many are still struggling to make ends meet. Rising costs of rent, food, and child care are putting pressure on parents who want to provide a stable home for their children. The proposed Child Tax Credit (CTC) in House Bill 96 offers a real solution—helping working families keep more of their hard-earned money and invest in their children’s future.

To understand the impact of this tax credit, let's take a look at a few examples of how it could benefit Ohio families.

Meet Jacquie. She is a single parent in Akron and works as a preschool teacher. While she only makes $14.20 per hour, she can work full time because her son can attend preschool with her. She earns $29,536 per year.

With the CTC, Jacquie will receive $1000 back in taxes, amounting to a 4% raise. This would cover a month of rent in a neighborhood west of downtown. That’s the difference the CTC makes.

Meet the Reilly family, a married couple from Akron. They just had their first child. One parent is staying home to care for the newborn while the other is working two low-wage jobs to make ends meet. The family’s household annual income is $17,696.

With the CTC, they only qualify for about $760 from the Child Tax Credit. Still, this represents about a 4% increase in their income. This would cover one month’s worth of fair market rent for their one-bedroom apartment Northwest of downtown. That’s the difference the CTC makes.

Meet Sean and Julie. They live in Columbus with their two young kids. Sean has a reliable job in construction, and Julie picks up shifts at the grocery store when she’s not caring for their kids. Together they make $46,000 a year, filing jointly for taxes.

With the CTC, they will get back $2000 on their taxes. This increases their annual household income by 4%. More importantly, it covers about two months of groceries, giving them a little breathing room in their budget. That’s the difference the CTC makes.

Meet Natalie, a single mom in Youngstown who works four days a week as a fast food cook while her sister watches her toddler. She makes $19,000 per year. Natalie would work more shifts if she could find a babysitter. With CTC, Natalie would get a little over $800 back on her taxes. That is enough to pay for babysitting for an extra work day per month. That’s the difference the CTC makes.

Meet Faith. She is a licensed nurse working full-time and makes $28.04 per hour, earning a little over $58,000 per year. Faith is a single mom of two young elementary school kids in Dayton. 

With the CTC, she would get a little over $560 per child back on her taxes for a total of $1,124. That is enough to cover six weeks of afterschool child care, giving her extra money to sign the kids up for swim lessons. That’s the difference the CTC makes.

Meet the Thomas family from Marietta on the West Virginia border. Mike works as a restaurant worker in the evenings and Allison works in retail during the day. They have three kids under 6. Together, they make a little over $54,000 per year.

With the CTC, they will get $3000 – $1000 per child – back in taxes to supplement their income. That covers almost two months of groceries and gas for their family.

That’s the difference the CTC makes.

Why This Matters

The Child Tax Credit is more than just a tax break—it’s a tool that helps Ohio families afford basic necessities, reduces financial stress, and ensures children grow up in stable homes. With families facing increasing financial burdens, this credit provides meaningful relief and helps parents stay in the workforce.

By supporting the Child Tax Credit in House Bill 96, Ohio lawmakers have the opportunity to strengthen our workforce, reduce childhood poverty, and invest in the future of our state. It’s time to put families first and ensure every child in Ohio has the opportunity to thrive.

Learn more about how the Child Tax Credit can support Ohio families and why it’s a smart investment in our state’s future. Read Groundwork Ohio’s testimony on the Child Tax Credit.