“[I am] a person who works 40 hours a week in the medical field, who still cannot make ends meet. I do not get paid enough to comfortably feed my son. This will help me make those important grocery trips.”

“The extra cash from CTC will greatly help us with food, uniforms, school supplies, and extracurricular activities.”

“This extra money would help my family a lot. It means we don't have to worry when a doctor's bill comes in or the baby needs more diapers. The stress in the household would really go down and the children would get what they needed.”

John,

This summer, the majority of families with children have received two cash payments as an advance on their Child Tax Credit (CTC). A third payment arrives next week. These payments are part of a temporary expansion of the CTC included in the American Rescue Plan Act that President Biden signed into law this spring. The expansion means that more families than ever, including those who need support the most, will qualify for the credit this year.

It also means that families can receive part of the credit in monthly payments, rather than waiting to get their check at tax time—after all, as one parent put it, “things come up each month for kids, not just during tax time.”

But our work isn’t done. We’re coordinating with partners across the country to ensure all families know how to access this historic benefit and to make sure this support doesn’t run out at the end of the year.

Here’s how you can help:

• Review and share answers to frequently asked questions about the expanded Child Tax Credit, like how much you qualify for and how to receive it.

• Join us in telling Congress the expanded Child Tax Credit must be made permanent—because families will still need stability once the pandemic ends.

Thank you for joining us as we fight to ensure this historic support for families achieves its maximum impact.

Children's Defense Fund© All rights reserved

840 First St NE, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20002