Child Poverty

American Rescue Plan Anniversary, Child Tax Credit, and Your 2021 Taxes

March 9, 2022 | National

This week marks the one year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act. As co-chair of the Automatic Benefit for Children (ABC) Coalition, the Children’s Defense Fund played a vital role in leading advocacy efforts that ultimately resulted in the inclusion of an expanded and fully inclusive Child Tax Credit (CTC) in the ARP. Because of our ongoing advocacy efforts, the expanded CTC will reach a record nearly 40 million families with 65 million children. While the monthly CTC payments ended in 2021, it is critical for our communities to understand that there is still a lot of money on the table for families with children.

After the ARP’s passage, CDF continued to lead advocacy efforts which called for the extension of the expanded CTC beyond one year, demanding Congress pass a permanent expansion which would mean a guaranteed income for children in the U.S. Though monthly CTC payments expired at the end of 2021 due to the Senate’s failure to pass Build Back Better, CDF continues to fight for the extension and a permanent guaranteed income for children.

While the monthly CTC payments ended in 2021, it is critical for our communities to understand that there is still a lot of money on the table for families with children. It’s tax-filing season and if your child is eligible for the credit and you received monthly payments in 2021, you will receive the second half of your CTC when you file your 2021 taxes in early 2022. If your child is eligible for the CTC and you didn’t receive any advance monthly payments in 2021, you will receive the full CTC amount when you file your taxes.

Find a host of CTC resources here and a flyer that will help you file and claim your remaining Child Tax Credit here. If you have any questions regarding the Child Tax Credit, please take advantage of our extensive CTC FAQs. And don’t forget to talk to your family and friends about the importance of filing your taxes and getting the federal money owed to you and your family. If you know of people in your network that need help filing taxes, check out https://www.getyourrefund.org/en.