Last month, we wrote a blog post on key Child Tax Credit (CTC) outreach dates to keep in mind. As we approach the end of summer, we want to specifically highlight why this fall is such an important time to spread the word about the CTC to families. If you want to learn more about the CTC, outreach strategies, and available outreach resources, please join us for our August 30th webinar, or watch the recording which will be posted here after the training.
Families can still claim the 2021 expanded CTC, which provides up to $3,600 per child. If they received CTC advance payments last year, they can file to claim the remaining half of the money to which they are entitled. If they never received the advance payments, they can get the full amount now. They can claim the credit on their own through GetCTC.org, a simplified filing portal that makes the process easy. GetCTC.org will close in mid-November, making this fall a critical time to help families claim the credit.
After November, families still have until April 2025 to claim the 2021 CTC, but will need to file full tax returns to do so. While in January, free tax assistance sites will open that can help families complete their tax returns, we encourage service providers, schools, agencies and other community partners to take action before GetCTC.org closes. Partners can direct families to file through GetCTC.org, helping to ensure that families get this money as quickly and as easily as possible. Most families can file their returns through GetCTC.org without assistance. It is mobile-friendly, available in English and Spanish, and offers a chat support feature. To check out what families will see when they file through GetCTC.org, take a look at this 7-minute demo video from our partners at Code for America.
Please check out this resource toolkit for flyers, sample messages, and other materials that we have created or compiled from many wonderful partners. By October, we will update our toolkit with resources that contain language about the pending November deadline, to help you convey this urgency to families. If you have suggestions for resources that would be especially helpful for your final outreach push before GetCTC.org closes, please write to Julia Beebe ([email protected]) or Aline S. da Fonseca ([email protected]).