If you have children, you may be eligible to claim valuable tax credits.

The Child Tax Credit (CTC) is a federal credit that helps families afford the everyday expenses of raising a child.

Due to a change to the CTC for tax year 2021, families could get half of the fully refundable credit as advance monthly payments in 2021 and the other half as a refund in 2022. You may qualify even if you aren’t required to file your taxes.

The deadline to claim the CTC to receive advance payment in 2021 was November 15, 2021. If you did not get advance payments, you can claim your complete CTC when you file taxes in 2022.

The Child Care Tax Credit is a credit that helps families in New York City with child care expenses.

Eligibility and credit amounts depend on factors such as income, number of children, and residency.

The deadline to claim the Child Tax Credit (CTC) to receive advance payment in 2021 was November 15, 2021. If you did not get advance payments, you can claim your complete CTC when you file taxes in 2022.

Advance Monthly Payments

To help families during the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. government made changes to the CTC for tax year 2021.

Families can get half of the fully refundable credit as monthly payments in 2021 and the other half as a refund in 2022.

Families claiming CTC for tax year 2021 will receive up to:

  • $3,600 per qualifying child under 6
  • $3,000 per qualifying child between the ages of 6 and 17

Advance CTC Payments began July 15, 2021:

Age of Child in 2021

Monthly Payment (July-December 2021)

Lump-Sum Payment (2022 Tax Refund)

0-5Up to $300 per childUp to $1,800 per child
6-17Up to $250 per childUp to $1,500 per child

You will get maximum CTC payment amounts if you had no income or adjusted gross income (AGI) up to:

  • $75,000 (single filer or married couples filing separately)
  • $112,500 (head of household)
  • $150,000 (married taxpayers filing a joint return and qualifying widows or widowers)

Payments will begin to phase out (reduce) for incomes above these AGI amounts.

Eligibility

To get payments, you need to file a tax return, even if you do not owe money. You are eligible for payments even if you are incarcerated or experiencing homelessness.

Important:

  • Your child must have a Social Security number (SSN).
  • You can have an SSN or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).

Next Steps

If you received advance payment in 2021, you filed your 2020 (or 2019) tax return, used the IRS Non-Filer Tool to sign up for Economic Impact Payments (Stimulus Payments), or used the CTC Non-Filer Sign-Up Tool or GetCTC tool by November 15, 2021.

Advance payments will be estimated from information included in your 2020 tax return (or 2019 return if your 2020 return is not filed and processed yet) or the information you entered in the non-filer tools.

To get your remaining half of the CTC, you must file a 2021 tax return. Use NYC Free Tax Prep to file your taxes for free in 2022.

If you did not receive advance payment in 2021, you can claim your complete CTC when you file taxes in 2022. Use NYC Free Tax Prep to file your taxes for free in 2022.

Learn more about the Child Tax Credit (CTC).

Learn more about NYC Free Tax Prep.

Manage Payments and Check Status

The online CTC Update Portal Tool can help you:

  • Check if you’re enrolled for advance payments
  • Unenroll from advance payments
  • Update your bank account and mailing address
  • View your payments

You will need to create an account to use the tool.

The New York City Child Care Tax Credit helps low-income or under-employed families pay for child care. Families with household incomes of $30,000 or less who pay child care expenses for children 3 and under may qualify for this local tax credit of up to $1,733. The Federal and New York State Child and Dependent Care credits do not have an income cap like the NYC Child Care Tax Credit.

Ask your tax preparer if you are eligible for the NYC Child Care Tax Credit, the Federal and New York State Child and Dependent Care credits, or other tax credits.

Individuals with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) are eligible to claim the NYC Child Care Tax Credit as well as the Federal and State Child and Dependent Care credits.

The NYC Child Care Tax Credit is administered by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.

Online

Learn more about tax credits.

Visit the Department of Taxation and Finance website.

By Phone

Call 311 for assistance.

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