Families can still claim the full 2021 Child Tax Credit (CTC), up to $3,600 per child, if they file before November 15th at GetCTC.org. There are still 4 million kids, primarily those in households with low incomes across the country, who are at risk of missing out on the CTC. The CTC is available for parents with dependent children and is designed to reduce child poverty and help ease the financial burden that families incur when they have children.
There is no minimum income required to get the CTC for tax year 2021 but the upper income limit for the full benefit is $150,000 per year for married couples and $112,500 per year for head of household filers. Children (including those who are DACA recipients) must have a valid SSN and be aged 17 or younger to be eligible for the CTC but parents can be Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) filers. Receiving the CTC will not affect a person’s immigration status or count as income for most benefits.
Even though the regular tax filing deadline is passed, families with no or low incomes (below $12,550 per year for single filers and below $25,100 for married couples) can still file to claim the CTC without penalty using this simplified online filing portal, GetCTC.org. The portal will remain open through November 15, 2022. If you file head of household or make more than the amounts above, you will need to complete a full return but have until 2025 to do so.
Please communicate this information widely to ensure families are benefitting from the resources available to them! You can learn more about the CTC, including resources and outreach documents, here.