how much can you get reimbursed, up to what age?

Having your child looked after is often essential to being able to work… but also a real budget headache. Between daycare, childminder or home care, costs add up quickly. Fortunately, part of these expenses can be recovered thanks to tax credit for child care expenses. Here’s what you need to know to benefit from it.

If you have your child under 6 looked after by an approved childminder, in a crèche or at home, you can benefit from a tax credit. Just declare these costs in your tax return, deducting the aid received by Cafin particular for the supplement to childcare (CMG). In the tax return, if your child is your sole responsibility, these costs must be added in the 7GA, 7GB, 7GC boxes of the 2042 RICI. In the event of alternate residence, they must be indicated in boxes 7GE, 7GF, 7GG of the 2042 RICIspecifies the tax site. Note that it is important to be able to justify your expenses with supporting documents if the tax authorities audit you.

What are the conditions for receiving the tax credit for child care expenses?

The tax credit amounts to 50% of expenses dedicated to caring for young children, excluding food costs and after deduction of family assistance. It is intended for parents with one or more dependent children, but also for grandparents whose grandchildren are attached to their tax household. Several conditions must be met to obtain it:

• The child must be under 6 years old the 1^er January of the tax year (for the 2026 declaration of 2025 income, he must be born in 2019 or later)
• The child must be dependent on the parent or grandparent
• The child must be looked after by maternal assistance or an establishment for young children (crèche, daycare, etc.)

What are the child care tax credit limits?

The expenses taken into account include salaries and social security contributions paid to the childminder. For childcare costs to declare, the ceiling is 3,500 euros maximum per child looked after (aged under 6 years), which gives entitlement to a tax credit of up to 1750 euros. For childcare costs to declare in the event of alternating residence, the ceiling is 1750 euroswith a tax credit of 875 euros maximum.

Up to what age can you benefit from the tax credit for childcare expenses?

The tax credit for childcare costs concerns parents of a child aged under 6 on January 1 of the tax year. Beyond that, if the child is over 6 years old, childcare costs are no longer eligible for this tax advantage.

When is the tax credit paid?

Childcare costs are reimbursed during the year. First of all, an advance of 60% is paid to parents in January, “based on the amount of tax credit received the previous year”, indicates the Public Service website. After which, the rest of the balance is paid during the summer, and is calculated according to your actual expenses. “If you receive too large a deposit in January, you will have to repay the overpayment in September.”

How does the immediate tax credit advance work?

Parents of children over 6 years old who have their children looked after at home can benefit from the immediate advance of the tax credit. Families, whether or not they are subject to income tax, can be reimbursed as soon as the service is billed to the personal services company.

Can we benefit from the tax credit if the child is looked after in a leisure center?

Yes ! Whether your child is welcomed in the morning, evening or Wednesdays, know that expenses related to leisure centers entitle you to the same tax credit.