This summer, the Biden-Harris administration’s American Rescue Plan Act increased the 2021 Child Tax Credit (CTC). This historic support – the largest ever credit – is helping families and children struggling to recover financially from the COVID-19 pandemic. The full benefit is now $300 per month, or $3,600 for the year, and any family with children 17 or under who are tax dependents and have a valid Social Security number (regardless of the parents’ immigration status) can access it. Many families automatically received this benefit. Those who haven’t received the benefits can easily and quickly apply for them.

Accessing this benefit is fast and simple. Here’s what families interested in applying for the credit need to know:

  1. There is no minimum income required to get the credit for tax year 2021. Even families who had little to no reported income can be eligible for the full $300 a month. These funds can be used in any way to support the wellbeing of children — child care, education supports, housing and more.
  2. Mixed status families can access this needed support as long as their children hold valid Social Security numbers and are 17 or under. DACA youth are also eligible. Although parents are not required to have a social security number, they must have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number to claim the credit for their eligible children.
  3. The support is significant, with many families eligible for the full annual amount of $3,600. Parents making little to no income, married couples making $150,000 per year or less, or heads of households making up to $112,500 are eligible to receive the full CTC benefit. Families with higher incomes may still be eligible for smaller amounts.
  4. There is still time for families to receive this support. Eligible families began getting payments in monthly installments in mid-July and will continue receiving those payments through December 2021. When families file their taxes in 2022, they will get the remaining CTC benefit they didn’t get through the monthly installments.
  5. The payments will come directly to you. If you have a bank account, you can sign up for direct deposit of your CTC monthly payments. If not, provide the mailing address where you’d like the payments sent.

Don’t let your child and family miss out on this historic support. To claim your credit, visit https://www.getctc.org/en. To learn more about the credit, including who is eligible and how to apply, join @WB_DOL for a Twitter chat on Oct. 28, from 1 to 2 p.m. ET, using the hashtag #CTCchat.

Article Courtesy of the US Department of Labor