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Child Tax Credit Information

The American Rescue Plan's Expanded Child Tax Credit

File Taxes to Get Monthly Cash Payments to Support YourChildren—Even If You Don’t Normally File!

What’s the Expanded Child Tax Credit?

The American Rescue Plan massively expanded the Child Tax Credit (CTC) to help families through this pandemic.

This year, families can get:

  • $3,600 ($300 a month) per child for children ages 0 to 5.
  • $3,000 ($250 a month) per child for children ages 6 to 17.
  • IRS should start paying these benefits monthly in July 2021.
  • Most families will get $250 to $300 a month per child from July through December 2021. Families will get the remaining $1,500 to $1,800 per child when they file their 2021 taxes in Spring 2022.
  • The Child Tax Credit will NOT affect Medicaid, SNAP/Food Stamps, TANF Cash Assistance, SSI, or other public benefits.
  • The American Rescue Plan massively expanded the Child Tax Credit (CTC) to help families through this pandemic.

Is My Child Eligible?

To be eligible, children must:

  • Have a Social Security Number.
  • Live with you for at least half of the year.
  • Be under age 18 as of December 31, 2021.
  • Children are eligible if they are your children, adopted children, stepchildren, half-siblings, foster children, grandchildren, nieces, or nephews.
  • The adult filing taxes must have a Social Security Number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.
  • You do not need to have any earnings to get this credit. Families will qualify for full credit if their income is below $75,000 for single filers, $112,000 for people filing as head of household, or $150,000 for people who are married and filing jointly

How Do I Get It?

File your taxes! The deadline is May 17, 2021.

File Now:

  • If you did not file taxes in 2019 or 2020.
  • Even if you do not usually file.
  • Even if you do not have earnings.

File your taxes for free online at https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/ or visit our website for Tax Resources at https://fernandez.house.gov/services/resources.

If you need further assistance, please call my office:

WASHINGTON DC OFFICE
Phone: (202) 225-6190

SANTA FE OFFICE
Phone: (505) 428-4680