McEachin reminds parents to file tax return promptly to receive expanded child tax credit

Fourth District Congressman A. Donald McEachin is urging families to file their taxes before the upcoming May 17th deadline to ensure they receive the accurate amount in new advance monthly Child Tax Credit payments they are entitled to as soon as possible.

As part of the American Rescue Plan Congressman McEachin helped pass, families could get monthly payments of up to $300 per child beginning as soon as July. McEachin says the best way to ensure eligible families receive their payments is to file a 2020 tax return – even if they don’t have earnings to report or don’t normally file – because the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) needs information from tax returns in order to calculate and issue advance monthly payments.

• 147,300 children in the Fourth district could benefit from the advance monthly payments. That’s 88.2% of all children in the district.
• 46,600 of households in the Fourth district could get an average total benefit of $2,900.

“Advance monthly payments of the Child Tax Credit will help set America’s children up for success and put more money in the pockets of hardworking parents sooner, to pay for childcare or put gas in the car so they can go to work and help fuel our economy while building better lives for their families,” McEachin said.

“Because of this pandemic impact on families’ loss of wages, this expanded tax credit is desperately needed. These funds can make a significant difference for families as they help to pay for food, medications and even fuel for working parents.

“Filing tax returns promptly by the May 17 deadline will help to ensure that families get speedy access to these helpful credits.”

How can families get help preparing, filing their taxes for free?

Free tax preparation services are generally available until the tax filing deadline. Families should file their taxes before the May 17th deadline even if they do not have earnings to report or do not normally file, because the IRS needs information from tax returns in order to calculate and issue advance monthly payments.

Families can file taxes for free online through the IRS Free File program at apps.irs.gov/app/freeFile/.

Families where the parent or caregiver is aged 50 or older can use this AARP tool to find free tax help near them at secure.aarp.org/applications/VMISLocator/searchTaxAideLocations.action.