Child tax credit payments start today
Over 135,000 parents could get up to $300 per child every month July-December
–A few days after visiting a Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County (CAPSLO) Head Start in Nipomo to discuss the newly expanded Child Tax Credit, Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) is encouraging all families to look out for advance monthly payments of the Child Tax Credit, which hit bank accounts today. Carbajal estimates that 85-percent of Central Coast children will benefit from up to $300 per month per child beginning July 15 and continuing monthly through December. Over 135,000 children on the Central Coast in roughly 40,000 households are eligible.
• Nearly all families with children should get their monthly payments automatically beginning July 15 with no further action required.
• Families who did not file a tax return for 2019 or 2020 and who did not use the IRS Non-filers tool last year to sign up for the Economic Impact Payments, should go online and use the IRS Child Tax Credit Non-filer Sign-up Tool to sign up today.
“Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, more than 135,000 children on the Central Coast will benefit from the enhanced Child Tax Credit – which is a historic investment in the future of our country that will lift many children and families out of poverty,” said Carbajal. “I come from a working class family, so I know that $300 a month can make a real difference in people’s lives. It has become harder and harder to afford housing or child care and, as the cost of living soars and wages stay the same, we need to level the playing field so every child has the opportunity to fulfill their potential. The expansion of the Child Tax Credit means working, middle class families will get $300 per child under six to help put food on the table, cover health expenses, or pay for child care. That means healthier kids and it means parents can get back to work and continue to provide for their families.”
Parents can head to childtaxcredit.gov to check eligibility or get answers to more frequently asked questions.
How much Is the Child Tax Credit Expansion from the American Rescue Plan?
The American Rescue Plan expanded the Child Tax Credit to up to $3,600 per child for children ages 0 to 5 and $3,000 per child for children ages 6 to 17.
The American Rescue Plan also authorized advance monthly payments of the Child Tax Credit through December 2021. Beginning in July and running through December, qualifying families can get up to:
• $300 a month per child for children ages 0 to 5.
• $250 a month per child for children ages 6 to 17.
Families will get their remaining expanded Child Tax Credit when they file their 2021 tax return.
Who qualifies?
Families will qualify for a 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.
Families that make no income can also receive the credit, and parents who are undocumented can qualify as long as they have an individual taxpayer identification number and their children have Social Security numbers.
How do I get my payment?
• Nearly all eligible families should get their monthly payments automatically beginning July 15 with no further action required. If you’ve filed tax returns for 2019 or 2020, or if you signed up to receive a stimulus check from the Internal Revenue Service, you will get this tax relief automatically. You do not need to sign up or take any action.
• Families who did not file a tax return for 2019 or 2020 and who did not use the IRS Non-filers tool last year to sign up for the Economic Impact Payments, should go online and use the IRS Child Tax Credit Non-filer Sign-up Tool to sign up today.
• Families who got their refunds from the IRS through direct deposit will get these payments in their bank account around the 15th of every month until the end of 2021. People who don’t use direct deposit will receive their payment by mail around the same time.
• Families will be able to determine their eligibility, check the status of their payments and more at IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021 later this month.
Note: Watch out for scams!
According to IRS.gov: “The IRS urges everyone to be on the lookout for scams related to both Advance Child Tax Credit payments and Economic Impact Payments. The IRS emphasized that the only way to get either of these benefits is by either filing a tax return with the IRS or registering online through the Non-filer Sign-up tool, exclusively on IRS.gov. Any other option is a scam. Watch out for scams using email, phone calls or texts related to the payments. Be careful and cautious: The IRS never sends unsolicited electronic communications asking anyone to open attachments or visit a non-governmental web site.”
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