Dingell Urges Hardworking Families to File Taxes Before May 17 to Receive Advance Child Tax Credit Payments as Soon as Possible

DEARBORN, MI - This week, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) is urging hardworking families in Michigan’s 12th District to file their taxes before the upcoming May 17th deadline to ensure they receive the accurate amount in new advance monthly Child Tax Credit payments they are entitled to as soon as possible. 

As part of the American Rescue Plan Rep. Dingell helped pass, families could get monthly payments of up to $300 per child beginning as soon as July. Rep. Dingell says the best way to ensure eligible families receive their payments is to file a 2020 tax return – even if they don’t have earnings to report or don’t normally file – because the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) needs information from tax returns in order to calculate and issue advance monthly payments.

• 131,800 children in MI-12 could benefit from the advance monthly payments. That’s 86.4% of all children in the District.
• 39,000 households in MI-12 could get an average total benefit of $2,900.
• These monthly payments could lift 6,800 children out of poverty in MI-12.

“Receiving advance monthly payments of the Child Tax Credit will support thousands of families in Michigan and across the country. It’ll help set up children for success, while also helping hard-working parents pay for childcare, put dinner on the table or gas in the car, and go to work to make a better living for their families,” said Rep. Dingell. “To all MI-12 families, please make sure to file your 2020 tax return as soon as possible, before May 17th and even if you don’t normally file, to ensure you can get the correct amount.”

To highlight the importance of childcare to many Michigan families and speak with children and caregivers, Rep. Dingell visited The Collaborative: Ypsilanti YMCA Child Development Center.

More information on the Child Tax Credit is available below:

How Much are the Child Tax Credit Advance Monthly Payments?

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 as soon as 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 for the Child Tax Credit Advance Monthly Payments?

• 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 with you for at least half of the year,
  • Be under age 18 as of December 31, 2021, and
  • Be claimed on your tax return.

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

How Can Families Get Help Preparing and Filing their Taxes for Free?

Free tax preparation services are generally available until the tax filing deadline. Families should file their taxes before the May 17th deadline even if they do not have earnings to report or do not normally file, because the IRS needs information from tax returns in order to calculate and issue advance monthly payments.

• Families can file taxes for free online through the IRS Free File program at https://apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/. 
• Families where the parent or caregiver is aged 50 or older can use this AARP tool to find free tax help near them at https://secure.aarp.org/applications/VMISLocator/searchTaxAideLocations.action.

Original source can be found here.