Payments from the federal child tax credit will start arriving automatically in families’ bank accounts and mailboxes on July 15. And the good news is that families who don’t bring in enough income to be required to pay federal income taxes can also take part in the relief plan — and receive payments — by enrolling at childtaxcredit.gov.
“As families across our state are struggling to make ends meet, the child tax credit expansion in the American Rescue Plan will soon put money directly in their pockets to help cover expenses from rent to diapers and everything in between,” said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, on Monday, June 21.
“The first round of child tax credit payments will be going out to working families on July 15th and today, on Child Tax Credit Awareness Day, I want to make sure every eligible family in Washington state knows help is on the way and knows how they can get it,” said Murray. “It’s easy to sign up even if you don’t have to file taxes — visit childtaxcredit.gov to learn more.”
According to the office of Sen. Murray, this change drastically increases access to the tax credit for Black and Latino families. “While only about half of Black and Latino children were eligible to receive the child tax credit before the American Rescue Plan, now the vast majority will receive this vital assistance,” said the press release from the office of Sen. Murray.
The American Rescue Plan raised the child tax credit from $2,000 per child to $3,000 per child for kids over the age of 6 and from $2,000 to $3,600 for children under the age of 6. The age of eligibility also changed, as the age limit went up from 16 to 17.
Families are eligible for the full credit if they make up to $150,000 for a couple or $112,500 for a family with a single parent.
According to the senator’s office, the rescue plan’s child tax credit could cut child poverty for Black families by more than 50% and for Native American families by more than 60%.
For more information, visit childtaxcredit.gov.
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