Families urged to sign up for federal child tax credit benefits

Nearly all working families will receive $3,000 to $3,600 per child

Press Release, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is outlining the details of the historic Child Tax Credit expansion that will aid nearly every working family with children in New York State. She is urging families to take all necessary steps to secure this crucial benefit.

The Child Tax Credit monthly payments will help set New York’s children up for success and will put more money in the pockets of hardworking parents. It is estimated that New York families will receive $7.03 billion in total relief and 87% of children under the age of 18 will benefit from the enhanced Child Tax Credit.

This historic economic lifeline targets low- and middle-income families struggling to make ends meet. Most families will automatically receive monthly payments without further action. However, families that did not earn enough money to file income taxes in previous years, or that welcomed a new baby or child into their family in 2021, must visit childtaxcredit.gov to sign up.

“Finally, nearly all working families can get the full value of the Child Tax Credit, including low-income families who have shouldered the worst of the pandemic and need urgent relief,” Gillibrand said. “The expansion of the Child Tax Credit is one of the most important poverty-reducing tools to help families put food on the table, pay for childcare, get back to work, and build a better future.”

The American Rescue Plan Child Tax Credit is the largest anti-poverty measure in decades. Prior to its passage, tax relief was only available for individuals after filing taxes. This year, starting July 15th, families will receive monthly payments of up to $250 for each child aged 6 to 17 years old and $300 for children under the age of 6. It is projected that the expanded Child Tax Credit could help lift one-half of all children out of poverty.

Approximately 39 million households are expected to receive benefits without need for further action, including the families of more than 3.5 million children under the age of 18 years old in New York State, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Individuals who filed their tax returns for 2019 or 2020, or signed up to receive Covid-19 stimulus checks, will automatically receive the tax benefit. However, families that did not earn enough money to file income taxes in previous years, or that welcomed a new baby or child into their family in 2021, must visit childtaxcredit.gov to sign up.

This critical investment targets low- and middle-income families. Families that did not earn an income are still eligible to receive the full credit. For the first time, the Child Tax Credit is also available to families in Puerto Rico and other US territories. Additionally, parents who are undocumented but whose children have a Social Security number are eligible for the credit, and can claim these benefits using their Individual Taxpayer Identification number.

Qualifications to receive the full Child Tax Credit Payments:

• Married couples with income under $150,000
• Families with a single parent (also called Head of Household) with income under $112,500

Qualifications to receive at Least $2,000 of the Child Tax Credit, Totaling $166 per child each month:

• Married couples with income under $400,000
• Families with a single parent (also called Head of Household) with income under $200,000