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Child & Dependent Care Tax Credit

Factsheets

A Year of Progress: 10 Bright Spots for Child Care & Early Learning

Even in a year marked by a government shutdown, political turbulence, and general unpredictability in Washington, 2025 gave us plenty to celebrate for child care and early learning. Families, advocates, …

Factsheets

Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC): Overview

With the average annual cost exceeding $13,000 per child, millions of American families struggle to afford quality child care. The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) provides some financial …

Polling

POLLING: Rural Voters on Child Care and Head Start

In a new poll from First Five Years Fund, Rural Americans say money is tight, and child care is a significant part of that burden.  The survey shows that the …

Policy Priority

Tax Policy and Child Care

Overview Strong funding is essential to strengthening child care in the United States, but updating provisions of the federal tax code is also an important part of the solution. These …

Data & Analysis

Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC): Maximum Credit Amounts for Families

The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) allows working families to keep more of what they earn to pay for child care. A family’s credit depends on four factors: …

Data & Analysis

State-By-State: A Look At How Many Families Receive the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC)

The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) helps millions of working families cover a portion of their child care costs. In 2022, more than 5.7 million families nationwide benefitted …

Toolkits & Talkings Points

FFYF Capsule Collection: Tax Policy and Child Care

In A Nutshell With two-thirds of children ages five and under living in homes where all available parents are working, child care is not optional for most families – it’s …

Data & Analysis

TOPLINES: Child Care in the 2025 Tax Reconciliation Package

The final version of the 2025 tax reconciliation package (also known as H.R.1) was signed into law on July 4th, 2025. The bill permanently improves three pieces of tax policy …

Press Releases & Statements

FFYF’s Sarah Rittling on Child Care Tax Enhancements in the Final Reconciliation Package 

Final passage of the 2025 reconciliation bill contains updates to tax credits which will help make child care more affordable for more working families with young children including: The following …

Press Releases & Statements

STATEMENT: FFYF’s Sarah Rittling on proposed expansion of child care tax credits

On Monday afternoon, the Senate released the text of their bill to reauthorize the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. This version contains updates to tax credits which will …

Policy Letters

Letter: Senate Finance Committee urged to prioritize child care tax credits

In a show of support, 64 local Chambers of Commerce, national organizations, and employers joined First Five Years Fund and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in a letter calling on …

Press Releases & Statements

STATEMENT: FFYF’s Sarah Rittling on the House Ways and Means Budget Reconciliation Plans

On Monday afternoon, the House Ways and Means Committee released the full text of their bill to reauthorize the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 ahead of Tuesday’s markup. …

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