Press Releases

Eighth Congressional District, PA – Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) is reminding Northeastern Pennsylvania working families that advance monthly Child Tax Credit payments of up to $300 per month per child will begin landing in their bank accounts on Thursday, July 15, and continue through December 2021.

• An estimated 90 percent of children in Pennsylvania’s Eighth District will gain from the expanded and improved Child Tax Credit — 126,100 children.
• Working families could get up to $300 per month per child July-December, with the remaining amount to be delivered after filing their taxes next year.
• Eligible families who filed a 2019 or 2020 tax return should get their monthly payments automatically beginning July 15 until the end of the year with no further action required.
• 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 sign up today.

“More help is here for hardworking moms, dads and caretakers through major tax relief from the American Rescue Plan,” said Rep. Cartwright. “The boosted monthly Child Tax Credit payments will help tens of thousands of Northeastern Pennsylvania families cover costs like child care, food and clothes for their kids. This is the economic security parents and caregivers need to support their families, help grow our recovering economy and get back to work.”

MAJOR TAX RELIEF FOR NEARLY ALL WORKING FAMILIES

How Much is the Child Tax Credit Expansion from the American Rescue Plan?

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. 
• $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. 

Who Qualifies?

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. To be eligible, children must:

• Have a Social Security number;
• Live in the household for at least half of the year;

• Be under the age of 18 as of December 31, 2021; and
• Be claimed on the family’s tax return.

Children are eligible if they are your children, adopted children, stepchildren, half-siblings, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, or certain other relatives. The adult tax filer must have a Social Security Number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.

The new Child Tax Credit for 2021 newborns will be capped at $3,600 per eligible child. If the baby is expected after the first checks go out, families can use the Child Tax Credit Update Portal (CTC UP) to update the amount of qualifying children/dependents they have.

Households with adult dependents also are eligible in certain cases. More information is available on the IRS website.

The Child Tax Credit will not affect disbursement of SNAP/Food Stamps, Medicaid, TANF Cash Assistance, SSI, or other public benefits.

How Do I Get My Payment?

• Nearly all families should get their monthly payments automatically beginning July 15 with no further action required. If you’ve filed tax returns for 2019 or 2020, or if you signed up to receive a stimulus check from the Internal Revenue Service, you will get this tax relief automatically. You do not need to sign up or take any action.
    
• 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 sign up today.
    
• Families who got their 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 will be able to determine their eligibility, check the status of their payments and more at IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021 later this month.  

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.”