(CBS Baltimore) – The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) sent the advance payments for the fifth cycle of the child tax credit on Nov. 15. The actual arrival time of the check depends on the method of payment and the individual banks. Many parents who set up direct deposit through the IRS had already received their money on Monday morning. That was around 60 million children in total the last time around. The rest of the families receiving their credits by direct deposit should have their money by the end of the day. Mailed checks could take up to a week, given the vagaries of the US postal system. Future payments will continue monthly until the end of the year, thanks to the US bailout adopted in March. Payments beyond 2021 depend on the social spending plan being negotiated. The latest proposal would extend them until 2025.

Families can use the child tax credit money however they want. This means that the extra $ 250 or $ 300 per child can be spent on essentials like food or rent. U.S. Census figures collected in its Household Pulse Survey showed a sharp drop in food insufficiency and less difficulty with household spending soon after the first payment returned in July. Almost half of the beneficiaries spent at least some of the money on food, and almost a fifth of parents with young children spent the money on child care. The credit can also be used to purchase a new computer, which was a necessity during distance learning. Other households may use the money for piano lessons, car repairs, or even diapers. Either way, knowing that the extra income will be there every month allows for a measure of security and flexibility in a world full of surprises.

How much should your check be?

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The IRS pays a total of $ 3,600 per child to parents of children under the age of five. This drops to $ 3,000 for every child between the ages of six and 17. Half of the total is paid in the form of six monthly payments and half in the form of a tax credit for 2021. Thus, parents of a child under six receive $ 300 per month and parents of one child. six years or older receive $ 250 per month. The IRS made a one-time payment of $ 500 for an 18-year-old dependent student or a full-time student up to the age of 24.

I don’t know if you qualify in advance # Child tax credit Payments? Check your eligibility using our Advance Child Tax Credit Eligibility Wizard. Learn more about #IRS at: https://t.co/9J5HB58rqX #IRSTaxTip pic.twitter.com/YQqPgiFza6

– IRSnews (@IRSnews) November 14, 2021

The updated child tax credit is based on the parents’ modified adjusted gross income (AGI) as reflected in their 2020 tax return. (AGI is the sum of salary, interest, dividends, alimony, retirement distributions, and other sources of income minus some deductions, such as interest on student loans, alimony payments, and pension contributions.) The amount gradually decreases at a rate of $ 50. $ for every $ 1,000 of annual income over $ 75,000 for an individual and over $ 150,000 for a married couple. The benefit is fully refundable, which means it is independent of the recipient’s current tax burden. Eligible families receive the full amount, regardless of what they owe in taxes. There is no limit to the number of dependents that can be claimed.

For example, suppose a married couple has a three-year-old and a seven-year-old, and has a joint annual income of $ 120,000 on their 2020 taxes. The IRS sends them $ 550 per month. That’s $ 300 per month ($ 3,600 / 12) for the youngest child and $ 250 per month ($ 3,000 / 12) for the older child. These payments will last until December. The couple would then receive the balance of $ 3,300 – $ 1,800 ($ 300 X 6) for the youngest child and $ 1,500 ($ 250 X 6) for the older child – as part of their repayment of 2021 tax.

Parents of a child outside an age bracket receive the lower amount. This means that if a five-year-old turns six in 2021, parents will receive a total credit of $ 3,000 for the year ($ 250 per month), not $ 3,600 ($ 300 per month). Likewise, if a 17-year-old turns 18 in 2021, parents receive $ 500, not $ 3,000.

An increase in income in 2021 to an amount above the threshold of $ 75,000 ($ 150,000) could reduce a household’s child tax credit. The IRS will soon allow applicants to adjust their income and custody information online, reducing their payments. Failure to do so could increase his tax bill or reduce his tax refund after the 2021 taxes are filed.

Eligibility requires that the dependent be part of the household for at least half of the year and be at least half supported by the taxpayer. A taxpayer who earns more than $ 95,000 ($ 170,000) – when the credit wears off completely – will not be eligible for the extended credit. But they can still claim the existing credit of $ 2,000 per child.

Some people got a little more than the right one # Child tax credit payment in September. To settle this, the next #IRS payments will be slightly reduced. Find out more on: https://t.co/H05t6S0flj
* Thanks for sharing your art with us, Alex! * pic.twitter.com/a3YnLRIVjL

– IRSnews (@IRSnews) November 13, 2021

How do you make changes for future payments?

The IRS has three different tools to help recipients and potential recipients update their information in their records, register, and verify eligibility.

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Child Tax Credit Update Portal

The Child Tax Credit Update Portal allows users to ensure they are registered to receive advance payments. It also allows beneficiaries to unsubscribe from down payments in favor of a one-off credit when filing their 2021 taxes. The deadline for the next payment was November 1. The last opt-out deadline for the last future payment of the current version of the Early Childhood Tax Credit is November 29.

The tool also allows users to add or edit bank account information for direct deposit, view their payment history, update their mailing address, and change their adjusted gross income. Users will soon be able to adjust dependent information as well.

To access this portal, users need an IRS username or ID.me account. ID.me is a login service used by various government agencies, including the IRS, Social Security Administration, and Department of the Treasury, to authenticate users. Users need a valid photo ID to create an account.

Registration tool for non-filers for the child tax credit

The Child Tax Credit Non-Filer Enrollment Tool is intended to help parents of children born before 2021 who typically do not file taxes but are eligible for tax credit advance payments for children. This means that parents who have not filed their 2020 taxes are not required to file and do not intend to file. (Parents who reported their dependents on their 2019 tax return should not use this tool.)

Users enter their personal information, including name, mailing address, email address, date of birth, relevant social security numbers, bank account information, and identity protection PIN. The IRS uses the information to verify eligibility and, once confirmed, will begin making payments. The IRS and experts advise using the tool on a desktop or laptop computer rather than a mobile device.

Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant

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The Child Tax Credit Eligibility Wizard allows parents to check if they are eligible to receive advance payments for the Child Tax Credit. Users will need a copy of their 2020 tax return or, failing that, their 2019 tax return. It is also good to estimate the income and expenses for the appropriate tax year, although the result may not be exact. The assistant asks several questions to determine eligibility, but does not ask for sensitive information. No entry is saved.