Larsen: Expanded Child tax credit puts money in pockets of northwest Washington’s working families

July 27, 2021 1:30 am
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Submitted by Rep. Rick Larsen’s office

Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) is encouraging Northwest Washington’s working families to be on the lookout for advance monthly payments of the Child Tax Credit of up to $300 per month per child beginning this Thursday, July 15.

In March, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan, a comprehensive relief bill Larsen supported that 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 expanded Child Tax Credit benefits 42,600 households in Washington’s Second District, covering more than 85 percent of all children.

Nearly all working families should receive monthly payments automatically beginning Thursday, July 15, with no further action required. Families who did not file a tax return for 2019 or 2020 or 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.

FAQs on the Expanded Child Tax Credit

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 and $250 a month per child for children ages 6 to 17. Families will receive their remaining expanded Child Tax Credit when they file their 2021 tax return.

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.

Nearly all working families should receive monthly payments automatically beginning July 15th with no further action required. If you have filed tax returns for 2019 or 2020, or if you signed up to receive a stimulus check from the Internal Revenue Service, you will receive the expanded Child Tax Credit automatically. You do not need to sign up or take any action.

Families who did not file a tax return for 2019 or 2020 or 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 received refunds from the IRS through direct deposit will get these payments in their bank account around the 15th of every month through December 2021. Families who do not use direct deposit will receive payments by mail. Families will be able to check the status of their payments and more at IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021 later this month.

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.”