The new Child Tax Credit, included in the Biden-Harris American Rescue Plan, holds the promise of reducing child poverty in America by half, but only if low-income families are informed and able to access it. That’s why, today, on Child Tax Credit Awareness Day, MomsRising is unveiling an aggressive, multi-faceted set of actions designed to ensure that the country’s moms and families can access this new program, which will provide low- and moderate-income families with $300 per month per child under age 6 and $250 for each child aged 6 to 17. Monthly payments can begin as soon as July 15.

An online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, with members in every state, MomsRising has already developed a video featuring members of Congress and the administration, children, and actors America Ferrera and Alyssa Milano; it provides information on how to access the newly expanded tax credit. Two more videos are in development for distribution to moms across the nation – one answering the questions of families who have not filed taxes in recent years and need to apply for this tax relief, and the other celebrating the rollout of the monthly payments on July 15th and calling on Congress to make the expansion permanent.

MomsRising is also planning bilingual paid and unpaid social media, twitterstorms, emails, and texts to share information about this new tax credit and how to access it. MomsRising storytellers will share with leaders, the public, and the media the ways the Child Tax Credit boosts struggling families and the reasons the expansion and improvements should be made permanent.

Last week more than 5,700 members volunteered in MomsRising’s #PostcardSummer program, which will include ten local events to spotlight the Child Tax Credit. MomsRising members around the country will also hold family picnics in July at which they will get and share information about how to access the Child Tax Credit as they write postcards to their U.S. Senators urging them to support a permanent expansion of the Child Tax Credit and EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit). Further, MomsRising is partnering with the Economic Security Project on more than 20 similar local events in July. 

“This expanded tax credit is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to get help to some of the moms, children, and families in our country who struggle the most and to boost our economy at the same time,” said MomsRising Executive Director and CEO Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner. “The Biden-Harris administration is doing its part by creating a simple portal through which families can apply. We intend to do our part as well, leaving no stone unturned in working to ensure every eligible family is able to access this tax credit, which can be the difference between going hungry and putting food on the table, living in a car or a home, and accessing quality child care or leaving the workforce. We are also urging Congress to make this expanded tax credit permanent, because families will need this support for more than one year.”

Among the many MomsRising members who will benefit from the expanded Child Tax Credit:

o   Mary Beth in North Carolina, who cares for four school-aged grandchildren. When the pandemic hit, she was laid off from her retail job and has struggled to make ends meet. She says the expanded Child Tax Credit will help her family cover the basics like fresh, nutritious food, medications, housing, and clothing for her growing grandchildren.

o   Rachel in Pennsylvania, who was devastated when COVID-19 forced her daughter’s preschool program to close permanently. Rachel was forced to take a pay cut due to the pandemic, making it difficult for her family to afford a new child care program. She says the Child Tax Credit will enable them to look for summer care for their daughter, so Rachel can focus on her work and her daughter can get ready for kindergarten. 

o   Single mom Tami in Kansas, who was forced to take unpaid leave from her job in the kitchen of an assisted living center, because her twins’ school closed and because Tami had open-heart surgery recently and is high-risk for COVID-19. That caused a financial crisis for her family. The Child Tax Credit will help Tami pay her utilities bills and other necessities.

The vast majority of parents in the U.S. will be eligible for some or all of the newly expanded Child Tax Credit. You qualify for the new child tax credit if your modified adjusted gross income is up to $75,000 for single filers, $112,500 for heads of household, or up to $150,000 for married filers. If your income exceeds these amounts, you may still qualify for a reduced child tax credit until it completely phases out. The credit phases out by $50 for every $1,000 earned for income thresholds above $200,000 for single filers and $400,000 for married filers.