NORTH LAS VEGAS — Child Tax Credit payments up to $300 per month per child started being distributed to households on July 15. The payments continue through December 2021 as part of the American Rescue Plan’s relief for working families.
“Today, the American Rescue Plan and the expanded Child Tax Credit are giving working families a well-deserved tax break,” Congressman Steven Horsford (D-NV-04) said in a released statement. “Over the next six months, advance Child Tax Credit payments will provide transformational relief — helping families cover essential expenses and accelerating our economic recovery. I encourage every family to visit IRS.gov/childtaxcredit and verify their eligibility for advance Child Tax Credit payments today.”
Nevada’s Fourth District (177,100 children), which includes Lincoln County will gain from expanded and improved Child Tax Credit, Horsford’s office stated, adding that the benefit will lift 9,700 children in the district out of poverty. Because of the larger benefit for the youngest children, the credit will lift 3,400 children under the age of six out of poverty.
Statewide, the American Rescue Plan’s Child Tax Credit expansion will deliver disproportionate benefits to children in rural areas. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 95 percent of rural Nevada children will benefit from the expansion, compared to 92 percent of Nevada children in metro areas.
The American Rescue Plan expanded the Child Tax Credit to up to $3,600 per child for children under 6 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 under 6.
$250 a month per child for children ages 6 to 17.
Families will get 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, $112,500 for people filing as head of household, or $150,000 for people who are married and filing jointly.
Nearly all families should get their monthly payments by direct deposit or check beginning July 15.
Families who got their tax refunds from the IRS through direct deposit will get these payments in their bank account around the 15th of every month until the end of 2021. People who don’t use direct deposit will receive their payment by mail around the same time.
Families who did not file a tax return for 2019 or 2020 and 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 ensure their eligibility for the advance Child Tax Credit.
Families can use online portals at IRS.gov/childtaxcredit to update their bank account information, submit non-filer information, or verify their eligibility. In the weeks to come, families will also be able to use these portals to update family status information.
Watch Out for Scams
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.
“Watch out for scams using email, phone calls or texts related to the payments. Be careful and cautious: The IRS never sends unsolicited electronic communications asking anyone to open attachments or visit a non-governmental web site.”