Don’t Leave $1,500 on the Table: How NC Parents Can Get Their Full Child Tax Credit

Most parents and guardians have $1500 to $1800 owed to them per child by the federal government. Here’s how to get that money.

We know having children is expensive. All those diapers and daycare if they’re little, electronics when they’re older, and snacks at any age.  Not to mention the clothes, shoes they quickly outgrow, school supplies, and the cost of just keeping up on rent, the Internet bill and groceries.  

That’s why the child tax credit was such a help this past year for so many in North Carolina, and dropped child poverty by as much as 30% last year.  

And most people still have $1500 to $1800 they can collect on by filing their taxes for 2021.  

The $250 to $300 monthly deposits showed up in most people’s bank accounts from July to December, as one piece of President Joe Biden’s pandemic relief plan. The American Rescue Act increased the credit and allowed half of those payments to go through as advance installments on the Child Tax Credit. 

But parents and guardians must file taxes in order to collect the other half, $1500 for kids six and over, and $1800 for those under.

And if you didn’t receive payments last year, or had a baby this year, you can still file your taxes and get credit for the full amount – $3,000 for those 6 to 17, and $3,600 for the 5 and under crowd.

You have until April 18 to file your taxes.

Get more information on eligibility for the child tax credit and organizations that can help qualifying applicants file for free at the federal government’s official website, ChildTaxCredit.gov.

If you found this monthly deposit was a help,  you can let your North Carolina Congressional representatives and US Senators know (contact information is here). Biden and Democrats in Congress wanted to see it go for another year, but need backing from the American people to get the votes to pass it.