Thursday, August 5, 2021

Dear PSA Director,

The Child Tax Credit has been expanded to reach 4.1 million children across the country. Many of these children are in families that do not realize they’re eligible for these funds. Each household could receive up to $3,600 for each child under 6 years old, and up to $3,000 for each child between six and 17 years old. This money is not a loan.

Due to the American Rescue Plan, almost all families will qualify and receive money from the credit. The law expanded eligibility, increased the amount of the tax credit, and made it fully refundable. This means even families that don’t file taxes or have no recent income can receive the full credit amount. Anyone who has a child with a Social Security number in their household can receive the credit, even if they do not have one themselves. Families that were not required to file taxes this year can use the IRS Non-Filer portal to get their tax credit and start receiving payments.

There is no action required for those who have children and have already filed taxes this year, even if they did not explicitly claim the Child Tax Credit. If someone’s family status has changed since filing their taxes, they can update their marital status, income, number of dependents and bank information on the IRS Child Tax Credit Update Portal.

Eligible families will receive half of their Child Tax Credit payments in 2021 via monthly payments of up to $300 per child five years old or younger and up to $250 per child between six and 17 years old, between July and December 2021. These payments can come in the form of direct deposit or paper checks. The second half will be received in 2022 upon filing tax returns.

Visit GetCTC.org in order to determine your eligibility and get the credit, or call 211 for live assistance with simple questions or to be connected with local IRS-certified free tax filing assistance for virtual help.

Please help your listeners understand their eligibility for the Child Tax Credit and the process for receiving their money by placing this PSA in heavy rotation between now and Friday, September 3, 2021.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

:30 PSA SCRIPT                                                                                                                            

English Soundbite:

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE EXPANDED FEDERAL CHILD TAX CREDIT? IF YOU HAVE KIDS UNDER 18 IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD, YOU’RE PROBABLY ELIGIBLE FOR UP TO THIRTY-SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS PER CHILD FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THIS IS A REAL PROGRAM NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THAT BENEFITS MILLIONS OF FAMILIES. CALL 2-1-1 OR VISIT GET C-T-C DOT ORG TO FIND OUT HOW TO GET YOUR MONTHLY CHILD TAX CREDIT PAYMENT STARTED. THAT’S GET C-T-C DOT ORG. A MESSAGE FROM THE CENTER ON BUDGET AND POLICY PRIORITIES.

Spanish Soundbite:

¿HAS OÍDO DE LA EXPANSIÓN DEL CRÉDITO TRIBUTARIO POR HIJOS?  SI TUS HIJOS SON MENORES DE 18 AÑOS, ES PROBABLE QUE PUEDAS RECIBIR DEL GOBIERNO FEDERAL HASTA TRES MIL SEISCIENTOS DÓLARES POR HIJO. ESTE ES UN PROGRAMA REAL DEL QUE NO SABEN SUFICIENTES PERSONAS Y QUE BENEFICIA A MILLONES DE FAMILIAS. LLAMA AL DOS-UNO-UNO O VISITA GET C-T-C PUNTO ORG PARA SABER CÓMO EMPEZAR A RECIBIR LOS PAGOS MENSUALES DEL CRÉDITO TRIBUTARIO POR HIJO. DE NUEVO, GET C-T-C PUNTO ORG. UN MENSAJE DEL CENTER ON BUDGET AND POLICY PRIORITIES.