Column: Expanded child tax credit could transform lives — but we have to make it permanent
Kansas Action for Children
August 11, 2021
KAC President John Wilson writes for the Kansas Reflector: “We’re standing on the edge of a transformational moment, not just in Kansas, but in all of the United States. With a single vote from the U.S. Congress, we could more than halve childhood poverty in this state and set up tens of thousands of children for lifetimes of success.
“Sound implausible or overly optimistic? It’s actually a program that just began on a temporary basis: the expansion of the child tax credit. But to reap the full benefits, that expansion must be made permanent.
“Let’s step back for a moment to explain what the expanded credit is, and what it does. Essentially, it increases the credit that households with children receive on their taxes. But rather than simply boosting your refund at tax time, the American Rescue Plan Act made a chunk of the credit payable in monthly installments for the rest of 2021. That’s important for families who might be struggling year-round. The credit works out to a maximum of $300 per month for children under 6 and $250 per month for those between 6 and 17. (There are income limitations, and you can learn more about the program at https://www.whitehouse.gov/child-tax-credit/).”
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