The IRS has started sending expanded child tax credit payments to families. What are they?

They are monthly payments to families with kids 17 and under, starting in July and currently scheduled to end in December 2021. The monthly payments are half of the credit. Families can claim the other half when they file their 2021 taxes. This is all part of the covid relief bill President Biden signed into law in March.

The amount you are eligible for depends on several factors, including the age of your children and your income. You can check your eligibility on the IRS Advance Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant.

up to $300/month for children under age 6
up to $250/month for children ages 6 to 17
amounts are reduced if your modified Adjusted Gross Income is more than: $150,000 if married filing jointly; $112,500 if filing as head of household; or $75,000 filing as single or married filing separately.

People who filed taxes in 2019 or 2020, or who registered with the IRS for the stimulus checks, should get the child tax credit payments automatically. Other eligible people can sign up with the IRS to get the payments.