How Much the Credit Can Pay You. The amount of the credit depends on two things: the number of qualifying children you have and your gross income. Those with one qualifying child can claim up to $3,000 per year toward determining the credit amount, while those with two or more qualifying children have a $6,000 annual limit. %VIRTUAL-article-sponsoredlinks%Calculating the credit requires taking your actual expenses or the maximum limit, whichever is less.