The Child Tax Credit, part of the American Rescue Plan, increased the amount of the 2021 Child Tax Credit to support families with children. The full benefit of the Child Tax Credit is now $300 per month per child under age 6 and $250 for each child age 6 to 17, and the IRS automatically started sending payments — by check or direct deposit — on July 15.
If you filed taxes in the last two years, you don’t have to do anything to get your advance payments. (Check out this flier for more information.)
The Child Tax Credit is $3,000 to $3,600 per child. In order to get money to families quickly, the IRS will pay half of the credit as monthly payments now and the other half when you file your taxes next year. In total, you’ll receive a total of $3,600 for each child under 6 and $3,000 for each child between 6 and 17.
Receiving the Child Tax Credit does not impact your eligibility for other federal benefits, like SNAP/Basic Food and TANF.
Most families, even those with little to no income, can receive the full amount. Single parents making less than $112,500 or a married couple making less than $150,000 — with children under age 18 who will live with you for more than half of 2021 — are likely eligible for the full benefit. These benefits do not affect your eligibility for other federal benefits, like SNAP.
You can learn more on the Child Tax Credit website.
You can also check out this Q&A from the Center for Law and Social Policy, and learn about how the Child Tax Credit works in Washington here.