Take a look at the updated ChildTaxCredit.gov

On January 28, 2022, the federal government launched a new website to help families claim the second half of their Child Tax Credit, for those who chose to receive monthly payments. (It also helps you figure out how to claim your credit if you didn’t claim any payments yet.) The first half of the child tax credit was distributed to parents of kids under 18 in $250-$300 monthly payments per child from July 2021 to December 2021, with the second half payable as a credit on your 2021 taxes. 

The federal government launched a revamped website on Jan. 24, 2022, the first day of tax filing season to help people who were eligible for the expanded child tax credit under last year’s pandemic relief bill claim the second half of the payment they were due.

The site, ChildTaxCredit.gov, features a new tool that directs taxpayers to filing options, eligibility information, and instructions on how to get the credit, according to the Treasury Department. Both virtual and in-person support will be provided in multiple languages.

The child tax credit was expanded as part of President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, which included a monthly payment of as much as $300 per child. Since the payments were first disbursed in July, Treasury and the IRS have issued roughly $93 billion to tens of millions of families, according to Treasury. And in December, 61 million children received the enhanced benefits.

Families received half of their expanded 2021 credit on a monthly basis and the other half will be received once they file their taxes. The enhanced portion of the child tax credit program has since lapsed. For the tax year 2022, the child tax payment reverts to $2,000 annually per qualifying child, which in 2022 expands age eligibility to 17 year-olds.

The site features links to filing tools, eligibility determination tools, and information on how to claim your credit when you file your 2021 taxes. However, using the website is not required to claim your credit. It just makes filing taxes a lot easier if you’re lost in the muck and mire of government bureaucracy. So here’s what you need to know.

The Website Provides Much-needed Child Tax Credit Help

With child tax credit payments, stimulus check recovery rebate credits, unemployment insurance, and more, this tax season is sure to be one that’s confusing to the average filer.

That’s why ChildaxCredit.gov which has links to filing tools, can help you determine your eligibility and teaches you how to claim your credit effectively when you file your taxes.

The newly launched ChildTaxCredit.gov can help you with important information you will need to file your taxes. The website provides answers to common questions regarding the CTC and can help families find free or low-cost tax services. 

The Website Provides Help on Other Tax Credits, Missing Stimulus Checks, and More

The website also provides information on how to get your child tax credit if you didn’t sign up for advance cash payments.

It also helps you determine how to file for the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit, how to file for the Earned Income Tax Credit, and how to file for the Child and Dependent Care Credit. It also provides links to services that help people file their taxes, some of which are totally free.

The website also has advice and suggestions for those who have never filed taxes before or who have questions regarding eligibility, amount, or discrepancies between their monthly payments and their IRS documentation. 

A Refresher on the Expanded Child Tax Credit

As a recap: As part of the American Rescue Plan, Biden’s 2021 emergency pandemic relief package, the Child Tax Credit was expanded from $2000 for qualifying families to $3,000. Instead of receiving the entire amount of the credit against 2021 taxes, families received the first half of the credit as individual monthly payments.

These monthly payments, which research shows lifted over 4 million children out of poverty, lapsed in December after the Senate failed to compromise over the specifics of the Build Back Better act, which would’ve extended monthly payments for one year.

Families will receive the second half of the CTC when they file their 2021 tax returns. To receive the second half of your CTC, you must file taxes even if you’ve never done so before or if you are below the income threshold for filing. If you’ve never filed taxes, the website will help walk you through all of the steps needed to file a tax return.

Will the Child Tax Credit Affect My Refund?

Tax credits decrease the taxes you owe on a dollar-for-dollar basis as opposed to deductions and exemption, which lower your taxable income and the rate at which your income is taxed. So the second half of the CTC will be applied directly to the tax you owe, which can increase your refund or decrease your tax bill if you owe.

Keep in mind, though, the expanded CTC increased the amount of the credit from $2,000 in past years to $3,000 or $3,600 depending on the age of your child for the 2021 tax year. For parents who traditionally claimed the $2,000 credit and received monthly CTC payments, the amount they claim on their taxes this year will be $1,500 or $1,800, which could lower their expected tax refund.

Click here to visit ChildTaxCredit.gov