Helping Families Get Stimulus & Child Tax Credit Payments - What to Know & How to Help - NNEDV
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Roxy Caines
Get it Back Campaign Director
Helping Families Get Christine Tran
Outreach Intern
Stimulus & Child Tax Credit Center on Budget &
Payments Policy Priorities
What to Know & How to Help
www.eitcoutreach.org
June 15, 2021
Center on Nonpartisan research and policy institute
Budget and We pursue federal and state policies designed
Policy both to reduce poverty and inequality in
equitable and effective ways.
Priorities www.cbpp.org
National effort to connect eligible workers to tax
benefits
Get It Back Promote the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child
Tax Credit, free tax preparation, and other tax
Campaign benefits
Work with a network of diverse partners
www.eitcoutreach.org
Background
Importance of Outreach
Stimulus Payments & CTC Basics
Today The Portals
How to Help
Troubleshooting
Q&A
Check-in Question
Please respond to the following question in the chat:
Where are you joining from?
Background
The American Rescue Plan
• Temporarily extends the CTC for Tax Year
2021
o Reduces child poverty by 45%
o Larger reductions for Black, Hispanic,
& Native American children
o Children in deep poverty
• Includes advance payments starting in July
2021
• 3rd round of stimulus checks with expanded
eligibility requirements
Why is Outreach Important?
Why is Stimulus Check Outreach Needed Now?
• About 8 million eligible families still haven’t received the first stimulus check,
according to the U.S. Treasury (January 2021)
• People can now qualify for three rounds of payments even if they do not have
income:
First stimulus: $1,200
Second stimulus: $ 600
Third stimulus: + $1,400
$3,200
• You must file a tax return to get the payments
Why is Child Tax Credit Outreach Needed Now? • 88% of children (65 million children) in 39 million households will automatically get the advance payments, according to the IRS • The remaining 12% of children include families who are: o Very low-income, earn less than $2,500 o Non-filers (people who aren’t normally required to file taxes) o Didn’t receive stimulus payments o Likely to participate in SNAP o New parents • VITA sites are swamped and at low-capacity
Trusted Partners Are Essential for Outreach 1. Know the community 2. Have an established relationship 3. Connect clients to the CTC
Stimulus Payments Basics
What’s Different about Eligibility for the Third Stimulus Checks?
• Expanded Taxpayer Identification
Number requirements allow
more families with immigrants to
qualify
o 2.2 million children who were
previously left out of payments
are now eligible
• All dependents, regardless of
age, qualify for an additional
payment of $1,400What’s Different about Eligibility for the Third Stimulus Checks?
First and Second Stimulus
Check Third Stimulus Check
Non-Military Family If one spouse doesn’t have an Any family member or
SSN, the spouse with an SSN dependent with an SSN or
and qualifying children with an ATIN can get the stimulus.
SSN or ATIN can get the Dependents (any age) with
stimulus. SSNs or ATINs still qualify for
Children (under 17) can only the stimulus even if their
get the stimulus if at least one parents don’t have SSNs.
parent has an SSN.
Military Family If one spouse doesn’t have an If one spouse doesn’t have an
SSN, both spouses SSN, both spouses
can receive the stimulus can receive the stimulus
(including the spouse without (including the spouse without
an SSN). Qualifying children an SSN). Dependents (any
(under 17) with an SSN or age) with an SSN or ATIN also
ATIN can also get the qualify for the stimulus.
stimulus.
www.eitcoutreach.org/blog/what-to-know-about-the-third-stimulus-checksChild Tax Credit Basics
What’s New About the CTC? 1. Expanded age limit 2. Increased credit amount 3. Fully refundable 4. No income requirement 5. Advance payments 6. Lower phase-out rate
CTC Comparison
$2,000 CTC (current) Expanded CTC (new)
Age of Children age 16 and under can qualify for the Children age 17 and under can qualify for the
child credit credit
Credit $2,000 per child $3,000 per child and $3,600 for children under the
Amount age of 6
Refund Up to $1,400 per child is refundable Fully refundable
Amount
Income You must have earned income more than $2,500 No income requirement, you can have zero
to qualify for the refundable part of the credit income and still qualify for the full credit amount
per child
Advance No advance payments Monthly advance payments between July to
Payments December 2021
Phase Out The CTC amount starts to decrease at $200,000 The CTC amount starts to decrease at $75,000 for
Rate for single filers and heads of households single filers ($150,000 for married couples and
($400,000 for married couples) $112,500 for heads of households)
https://www.eitcoutreach.org/tax-credits/child-tax-credit/whats-new-about-
the-child-tax-credit-in-2021/Calculating the CTC
• Propel is creating a
calculator
o ChildTaxCredit.com
o Site will be live this
month
• Kiplinger’s 2021 Child
Tax Credit CalculatorEligibility
Who is Eligible for the CTC?
1. No income requirement
2. Parent or caregiver must have
an SSN or ITIN
3. Qualifying child
o Relationship
o Age must be 17 or under on
Dec 31, 2021
o Residency
o SSN
o DependentGetting Advance CTC Payments
NO ACTION REQUIRED IF: ACTION REQUIRED IF:
• Filed a 2019 or 2020 tax return • Didn’t file a 2019 or 2020 tax return
or
• Used the 2020 IRS Non-filer Tool • Didn’t receive stimulus payments
to receive stimulus payments
MUST SUBMIT INFO TO IRS:
o Use the IRS Non-Filer Portal if
not required to file taxes
o File a 2020 tax return if
required to file taxesAdvance payments will be delivered through direct deposit,
debit card, or paper check
(If someone received their stimulus checks as direct deposit, they'll
likely receive advance payments in the same way)The Portals
IRS Non-Filer Portal
What We Know What We Don't Know
• Register for advance payments • IRS guidance available on using the
o Submit information about kids and their portal
ages
• Claim stimulus checks
• Do not need specific documents to use
• You don’t have to submit bank account
information or a permanent addressChild Tax Credit Update Portal (CTC UP)
What We Know What We Don't Know
• Opt-out of advance payments • Date when additional portal features will
be available
• Eventually, people will be able to update life
changes • Resolution for children claimed by more
o Income than one person
o Marital status
o # of children
o Bank account
• Safe harbor protection to prevent over
payment
• Identity Verification through ID.meHow to Help
Spread the Word! 1. Send informational mailers using your organization’s contact list 2. Display flyers in your organization’s office and distribute them to clients you interact with 3. Contact clients via email or text about the CTC advance payments 4. Post on your organization’s social media channels about the CTC and how to get advance payments
Help People Submit their Information to the IRS to get Advance Payments 1. Help people assess what they need to do • Non-filer portal vs. file a tax return 2. Assist people to use the Non-Filer portal 3. Support people with tax filing through GetYourRefund.org or MyFreeTaxes.com 4. Partner with Code for America to become a Navigator to help people use GetYourRefund.org
Troubleshooting
Challenges You May See & What You Can Do
The Digital Divide
• Challenge: people may lack access to technology or have challenges using it
Opportunity:
o Provide tech assistance to fill out the form
o Provide tech like computers or iPads
• Challenge: lack email address
Opportunity:
o Help create email accounts
▪ 10minuteemail.com or Guerillamail.com
• Challenge: lack permanent address
Opportunity:
o Offer your org's address
▪ Become an IRS Trusted Partner
o Help people connect to a banking productChallenges You May See & What You Can Do
Mixed-Status Families
• Challenge: immigrants are concerned about whether tax filing will put their families in harm
Opportunity:
o Reassure families:
▪ IRS cannot share info with ICE
▪ Tax filing doesn’t impact immigration status
• Challenge: people need to apply for or renew their ITIN
Opportunity:
o Help people renew or apply for an ITIN
o Expect delaysChallenges You May See & What You Can Do
Complex Family Situations
• Challenge: multiple people may appear eligible to claim a child for the CTC (DV,
shared custody, child changes households)
Opportunity:
o Help people to file a 2020 tax return or use CTC UP
o Refer them to a Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic
Predatory Practices & Scams
• Challenge: people are creative when it comes to money
Opportunity:
o Stay alert and communicate with NNEDV
o Visit IRS website and www.fraud.orgResources
Toolkit for Stimulus Check Outreach to
Immigrant Families
eitcoutreach.org/coronavirus
Not just for reaching immigrants!Toolkit for Stimulus Check Outreach to
Immigrant Families
• Media guide • Sample flyer – customizable and in 6
languages (English, Spanish, Chinese,
Arabic, Vietnamese, French)
• Talking points for media
• Social media graphics – customizable,
• Press release template sized
for Twitter/Facebook/Instagram and in 6
• Sample media pitch languages
• Social media language
• Sample radio PSA script
• Sample text message
• Sample emailCTC Resources CTC FAQs: What's New about the Child Tax Credit in 2021 CTC OUTREACH MATERIALS: • Customizable social media templates • Phone scripts and text scripts • Flyers • Templates RESOURCES: • Guides and trainings on using the portals 2021 Stimulus Checks and Tax Credit Outreach Resources
Government Resources IRS: Advance Child Tax Credit Payments in 2021 NON-FILER PORTAL: Child Tax Credit Non-filer Sign-up Tool WHITE HOUSE: www.ChildTaxCredit.gov
Stay Connected!
Get It Back Campaign
Center on Budget and
Policy Priorities
eitcoutreach@cbpp.org
(202) 408-1080
www.eitcoutreach.org
http://eepurl.com/gdIHn1Poll Time
How are you likely to engage CTC
outreach efforts?Questions?
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