The passing of the American Rescue plan back in March has allowed for billions of dollars in funding to help fight the devastating economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of it’s many provisions, the $1,400 stimulus checks garnered the most attention. For myself, I remember constantly checking my Twitter feed to see if the House FINALLY passed the COVID relief bill. Well, as we know, the bill passed. Several Americans received direct payments.

Child Tax Credit 2021

Equally important, there’s another provision, that if you’re a parent like me, you should be aware of. It’s the expansion of the child tax credit for 2021. The child tax credit is expanded in the hopes of combating child poverty, which the United States has one of the highest global rates of. It’s quite sobering. A country as affluent as America with so many impoverished children.

Nonetheless, the enhanced credit increases the existing tax benefit from $2,000 per child to $3,000. If you’re a parent of a child up to six years old, the credit goes up to $3,600. Now in addition to more money per child, starting from July, half of this amount will be sent in the form of direct payments. The other half of this amount will be received when taxes are filed.

Who Qualifies for the Child Tax Credit?

Would I qualify? This is always my question, as it seems that I’m in the in between. On paper, it appears as if I make a decent enough salary, but I’m also a single mother of two with a mortgage to pay. In actuality, I’m part of the working poor who are often overlooked.

However, the good news is that 90% of American families will qualify for the enhanced tax credit. Those with the adjusted gross incomes below will qualify for the full amount. Once these incomes thresholds are reached, the credit a family is eligible to claim begins phasing out by $50 per every $1,000 a tax filer is over:

If you’re wondering how much you can expect to receive, you can use CNET’s Child Tax Credit calculator.

The Politics of the Child Tax Credit Expansion

In this divisive, hyper-political country in which we reside, different political points of view concerning this credit is a given.

Now, on one side, Republicans are Republicans. They feel as if the expansion of the child tax credit is the dreaded socialism that keeps them up and breaking out in cold sweats at night. The additional aid is viewed as a form of welfare. Another form of welfare? That’s hilarious – that’s $300 a month per child. Depending on how many children you have, this amount doesn’t even cover groceries for the month. Not to mention, we are tax paying citizens, we are simply getting back the several thousands we pay to the government. The reach of the Republican mindset reaches farther than a giraffe’s neck.

The Democrats, of course, is the party that pushed to get this enhanced child tax credit approved. I’m not a political pundit and I vote independent. However, to me, the Democrats seems to be aligned with helping the marginalized and disenfranchised.

For me, as a single mother, I am not ashamed to say that I’ll gladly take the additional aid. While, this is not money that I need for my day to day survival, but it’s nice to have the extra money on hand for my children. Personally, I’m taking that money and putting it in my children’s NYS 529 College Savings fund. I don’t come from generational wealth – so the little, extra boost that the enhanced child tax credit gives me is more than welcomed to help close the wealth gap and assist in sending my children to college.

My fellow parents – keep a look out for the extra cash starting in July… and in the eternally dope words of the Notorious B.I.G and the Junior Mafia…..GET MONEY! It’s your tax paying money coming back to you and don’t you dare be ashamed to take and benefit from it!

Blissfully Single and Yours,