NEW ORLEANS — Starting Thursday, millions of American families are eligible to receive federal monthly payments for child care.
“It’s a hand up. You have nothing to pay back,” said Congressman Troy Carter.
Families could get up to $300 per month, per child for kids 0-5 years old and $250 per month, per child for kids 6-17.
Congressman Carter said, “This infusion of cash into households makes a difference between life or death in many ways. We know that pulling people out of poverty is a way to pull America out of duress and out of stress and out of pain.”
This incentive is part of President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan.
In Louisiana, Congressman Carter said more than 44,000 households are eligible for payments. Carter added, this program will reduce American child poverty by 50%.
“This will change people’s trajectory on how we impact young people. It will impact their performance in school, it impacts academics, crime in the community. When you provide resources for people, you change lives.”
New Orleans resident Terrel Haynes is a father and a social worker. He’s ready to spread the word about the benefits of the Child Tax Credit and its potential impact on families.
Haynes said, “I think the plan is going to be successful for our community and for the U.S. at large.”
Samuel Meredith and his wife are taking care of their four-year-old godson. They already know the money will help with back-to-school expenses.
“Pour money back into him for school clothes, backpacks, tuition. I think this will help out tremendously,” Meredith said.
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.
Congressman Carter said, “That infusion back into the community gives merchants an opportunity to hire people. So, that’s jobs and with jobs, that’s sales. We have sales taxes that provide resources for local and state government. It’s a full circle and it’s a full circle of how we help families and rebuild our community and how we make a safer, better America.”
Payments will be automatic as long as parents’ taxes were filed in 2019 or 2020. Payments will be direct deposited or a check will be mailed around the 15th of the month through December.
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 today.
Families will be able to determine their eligibility, check the status of their payments and more atIRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021 later this month.
Congressman Carter has several more town halls scheduled:
- River Parishes Community College, 125 Regala Park Rd, Reserve, LA, on July 14, 2021
- Louisiana Leadership Institute, 5763 Hooper Road, Baton Rouge, LA, on July 15, 2021
- Woodmere Community Center, 4026 Post Drive, Harvey, LA on August 12, 2021