Rep. Demings alerts Floridians to check for child tax credit

55,000 households in Rep. Demings’ district are eligible for up to $300 per child per month as part of the American Rescue Plan

From the Office of U.S. Congresswoman Val Demings, District 10

U.S. Representative Val Demings (FL-10) is encouraging hardworking families to be on the lookout for monthly payments of the Child Tax Credit. 55,000 households in FL-10 – covering 88.2% of all children in the district – are eligible, beginning July 15th through December.

Demings supports President Biden’s plan to extend these payments past 2021.

“The Child Tax Credit monthly payments that we passed in the American Rescue Plan will help set America’s children up for success and put more money in the pockets of hardworking parents," said Demings. "Health care and childcare aren’t cheap, and daily necessities like gas, groceries, rent, and mortgage payments add up quickly. I am proud that we passed this critical support over GOP opposition, to ensure that families can stay on their feet, fuel our economy, and provide better lives for their families and their children.”

Eligibility based on income and age of children

Families will qualify for a full credit if their income is below $75,000 for single filers, $112,000 for people filing as head of household, or $150,000 for people who are married and filing jointly. Nearly all families should get their monthly payments automatically beginning July 15th with no further action required.

Families who did not file a tax return for 2019 or 2020 and who did not use the IRS Non-filers tool last year to sign up for the Economic Impact Payments should go online and use the IRS Child Tax Credit Non-filer Sign-up Tool to sign up.

The American Rescue Plan expanded the Child Tax Credit to up to $3,600 per child for children ages 0 to 5 and $3,000 per child for children ages 6 to 17.

The American Rescue Plan also authorized advance monthly payments of the Child Tax Credit through December 2021. Beginning in July and running through December, qualifying families can get up to:

$300 a month per child for children ages 0 to 5.

$250 a month per child for children ages 6 to 17.

Families will get their remaining expanded Child Tax Credit when they file their 2021 tax return.

Lookout for scams

According to IRS.gov: “The IRS urges everyone to be on the lookout for scams related to both Advance Child Tax Credit payments and Economic Impact Payments. The IRS emphasized that the only way to get either of these benefits is by either filing a tax return with the IRS or registering online through the Non-filer Sign-up tool, exclusively on IRS.gov. Any other option is a scam.

Watch out for scams using email, phone calls or texts related to the payments. Be careful and cautious: The IRS never sends unsolicited electronic communications asking anyone to open attachments or visit a non-governmental web site.”