IRS New Online Tool for Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments

IRS New Online Tool for Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments

 

As we noted in prior articles, Congress has made substantial changes to the child tax credit (CTC) for 2021.  

  • The CTC has been increased to as much as $3,000 per child ages 6 through 17 at the end of 2021, and
  • $3,600 per child age 5 and under at the end of 2021.

 

See Relax Tax’s Amending a Tax Return at relaxtax.com/debtreview

 

For taxpayers who have their main homes in the United States for more than half of the tax year and bona fide residents of Puerto Rico, the CTC is fully refundable.  However, it does begin to phase out for higher income taxpayers once their modified adjusted gross income, based on their filing status, exceeds:

  • $75,000 for single filers and married persons filing separate returns.
  • $112,500 for heads of household.
  • $150,000 for married couples filing a joint return and qualifying widows and widowers.

New for 2021 is a provision that allows advance payments to eligible taxpayers of one half of the estimated 2021 CTC in monthly payments (July through December). The monthly advance payments will be estimated based on a taxpayer’s 2020 tax return, or their 2019 tax return if 2020 information is not available. All qualifying families are automatically enrolled for advanced payments. Payments will be by check or direct deposit.

 

 

See this related post from Dennis Harabin: IRS Budget Increase: Will It Impact the Audit Rate

In September of 2021, the Congressional Budget Office announced a proposal to increase funding for the Internal Revenue Service by as much as $80 billion over the next ten years. The argument is that doing so would ultimately increase the revenue the organization is able to generate by as much as $200 billion over the next decade. 

 

 

The IRS, on June 15th, unveiled an online tool that allows eligible families who don't make enough income to have an income tax return-filing obligation to provide the IRS the basic information needed—name, address, and Social Security numbers—to figure and issue their Advance Child Tax Credit payments. 

This tool will also be enhanced in the near future allowing taxpayers to check their eligibility for the CTC and to unenroll from advanced payments if they prefer not to receive the credit in advance. 

The IRS is sending out letters – some 36 million – to those taxpayers that they believe are eligible for the advance payments. You may have already received a letter. There will be a follow-up letter that gives more personalized information as to the estimated amount of payment the taxpayer will be eligible for. Be sure to save any letters you receive from the IRS!

  

  

In the past, the filing threshold for 1099-Ks was when the gross amount of total reportable payment transactions during a calendar year exceeded $20,000, and the aggregate number of transactions for that payee in that year exceeded 200. Thus, entrepreneurs with a small side hustle selling merchandise on the Internet directly or through the likes of Amazon, eBay, and others may not have received a 1099-K in the past.
 

 

Watch Out for Scams - The IRS also urges everyone to be on the lookout for scams related to both the Advance Child Tax Credit payments and Economic Impact Payments. The only way to get these benefits is by either filing a tax return with the IRS or registering online through the Non-filer Sign-up tool, exclusively on IRS.gov. Any other option is a scam.

Watch out for scams using email, phone calls or texts related to the payments. Be careful and cautious: The IRS never sends unsolicited electronic communications asking anyone to open attachments or visit a non-governmental web site.

If you have any questions, please give this office a call at 551-249-1040.

 

Dennis Harabin at Relax Tax is an expert in taxes, insurance, and debt. Contact him today!

 

 

Recommended Readings:

  

***
Relax Tax is your trusted financial partner. 
We obsess about helping people retain more of what they earn. 
We can provide you a set of solutions for your financial goals no matter your financial situation. If you want to learn more about taxes, obligations, investments, and how to handle them, download our FREE Playbook.
(No credit card or payment method required and includes simple to follow and quick to digest video content)
 
Or Click Here to schedule your initial meeting.
Back to blog