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Child Defender,
Today, April 18, is the deadline to file your 2021 taxes. This year, it is critical we ensure families--including those who haven't filed a tax return previously and those who don't have recent incomes--file their taxes, so that they can access the expanded benefits provided by the American Rescue Plan. With historic expansions of the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit, many American families may have thousands of additional dollars available to them when they file a return this tax season.
This Tax Day is also a sad reminder for many families that the refundable, monthly expanded Child Tax Credit is short lived. The expanded, monthly Child Tax Credit ended in December 2021 and lifted 3 million children above the federal poverty line in one month and provided families with much-needed cash to afford the basics. That's why the Children's Defense Fund continues to advocate for the extension of this essential cash allowance. Most recently, as Co-Chair of the Automatic Benefit for Children (ABC) Coalition--a coalition of organizations working to create a child allowance, or a guaranteed income for children in the U.S.--we sent a letter to Congress demanding they prioritize tax breaks for families and children, rather than favor tax breaks for corporations.
In addition to our continued advocacy at the federal level, CDF state offices have been working with their state and local governments to reach families, connect them with resources, and ensure they claim their Child Tax Credit and other tax credits. For instance, CDF-Ohio continues to carry out a successful texting campaign, reaching thousands of families in the state. Currently, the campaign has resulted in $200,000 in refunds going directly into the pockets of Ohio families. The campaign also connected more than 300 individuals to their local Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site, which provides free tax preparation assistance. So far, 77 completed tax returns have been completed and 500 intake forms have been started.
If you have not yet filed your tax return, here are three things you can do to ensure you get the federal money that is owed to you:
- Fill out this IRS form to get an extension until October 15, 2022. And visit GetYourRefund.org for free tax filing help.
- In mid-May, you can visit GetCTC.org to claim the Child Tax Credit and the 3rd stimulus check through a simplified tax filing tool.
- Go to the U.S. government's website at ChildTaxCredit.gov for all up to date information on the Child Tax Credit. You can also visit CDF's Child Tax Credit page for further useful resources and FAQs.
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