You May Be Able to Get More Money from Federal Child Tax Credits by Filing Your 2021 Taxes

Posted on: February 23, 2022
The information provided on this post does not, and is not intended to, represent legal advice. All information available on this site is for general informational purposes only. If you need legal help, you should contact a lawyer. You may be eligible for our free legal services and can apply by calling our Covid Legal Hotline at 1-844-244-7871 or applying online here.

The IRS made Advanced Child Tax Credit (ACTC) payments from July to December 2021 to some families with children.

Only half of the tax credit was  paid in 2021.

If you got ACTC payments in 2021, filing a 2021 tax return can get your other half of the tax credit.

You will get your refund fastest if you file your return electronically.

If you did not get Tax Credits in the Fall of 2021, you still could be eligible:

  • If you did not get any IRS payments in the Fall of 2021
  • If you were eligible for the credit
  • You can ask for the whole amount now on your 2021 federal tax return.

Who can get this extra tax credit money?

To get a 2021 Child Tax Credit:

  • You have at least one child who was under the age of 18 in 2021.
  • You lived with and supported that child or children for at least half the year.
  • You must meet the income limits:
    • Joint filers can make up to $150,000 (“AGI”1)
    • Single head of households can make up to $112,500 (“AGI”1)
    • Other single filers can make up to $75,000 (“AGI”1)

Finding free help to file taxes electronically

You may qualify for free help to prepare your taxes

Call the "Volunteer Income Tax Assistance" (VITA) program.

Call 1-800-906-9887 to find out what programs are operating in your area.

VITA has trained tax people to help low income people file electronic 2021 tax returns for free.

People who are 60 or older can call the AARP to find out if there is free tax help where you live.

The toll free number is 1-888-227-7669

You can also check  the website for the United Way of Southeast Louisiana.

The United Way works with VITA to help low income taxpayers.

That website is www.unitedwaysela.org/vita.

If you do not need help to file your taxes, one of the free places to file online is at https://www.getyourrefund.org/en

For more information: https://www.getctc.org/en

[1] Plus certain foreign earned income or income Puerto Rico or American Samoa.

Read Full Article