Child tax credit payments go out Nov. 15. Learn how to sign up if you’re not getting them
child tax credit payments, the deadline to sign up for them is Monday. The credit provides up to $300 per month per child under age 6 for a total of $1,800, and up to $250 per month per child ages 6 to 17, for a total of $1,500.
For those registered, a child tax credit payment should be coming to your bank account on Monday. The next scheduled payment after that is Dec. 15.
The payments began in July and will last through December, based on the American Rescue Plan signed into law by President Joe Biden in March. Half of the total credit amount is being paid in 2021. The other half will be paid when eligible recipients file 2021 tax returns.
guidance on the sign-up process to claim your money.
Who is eligible?
You can receive the Child Tax Credit if you have children, even if you make little or no money. Generally, children qualify a taxpayer for the Child Tax Credit if they are under 18 and live with you most of the time.
People who are qualified have to be within particular income thresholds:
- Taxpayers filing taxes together and earning up to $150,000
- Single head of household earning up to $112,500
- Other individual taxpayers earning up to $75,000
You will need to file a 2021 tax return to receive the rest of the payment.
How can I sign up?
If you filed tax returns for 2019 or 2020, have dependents and meet eligibility requirements, you should have been receiving the monthly payments already.
If you have not filed tax returns, go to getctc.org and pick the option to file a simplified version of your tax credits. The version in Spanish is on getctc.org/es.
What about my immigration status?
DACA recipients are eligible for the Child Tax Credit as long as the children claimed on a tax return have a valid Social Security number.
If you don’t have a Social Security number, you can also use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number to file and get the benefits. To obtain an ITIN, you must complete IRS Form W-7, IRS Application for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. The Form W-7 requires documentation substantiating foreign/alien status and true identity for each individual.
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Michelle Shen is a Money Tech Digital Reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her @michelle_shen10 on Twitter.