Expanded child tax credit will deliver more money in 2022: Here’s how to get it

Although the advance child tax credit payments ended in December, there’s still more money from the expanded child tax credit for parents to receive with their 2021 tax refunds. The remaining half of the expanded child tax credit for 2021 will become available to parents when they file their tax returns this year. The IRS recently announced that tax season will start Jan. 24, the earliest date for filing taxes.

To make tax season easier, be sure to receive and keep Letter 6419 from the IRS. It contains details about your child tax credit money that you’ll need for your taxes. If you haven’t received that form yet, keep an eye out for it in the mail.

When you file your taxes, you’ll be able to claim any child tax credit money you didn’t receive in 2021 — at least half, or more if you opted out of advance child tax credit payments or had a new baby later in 2021. The IRS letter will tell you how much money you received in 2021 and the number of qualifying dependents used to calculate payments.

Although there’s still money coming from the 2021 expanded child tax credit, you may be wondering if the child tax credit has been extended for 2022 or if Congress will ever reauthorize the expanded child tax credit or the advance payments. We’ll explain the latest on the child tax credit and what to expect when you file your taxes this year. This story is updated regularly.

File your child tax credit letter with other tax documents

The IRS said it started sending out Letter 6419 to families in late December and will continue sending it through January. If you haven’t received the letter yet, keep an eye on your mailbox, because you’ll need it when you file your taxes this year. The note contains important information about your child tax credit payments that you’ll need to double-check for accuracy — for instance, the number of dependents used to determine the amount of money you get.

How much child tax credit money you might get with your refund this year

If you and your family meet the income eligibility requirements and you received each payment between July and December last year, you can expect to receive up to $1,800 for each child age 5 and younger, or up to $1,500 for each child between the ages of 6 and 17, when you file your 2021 taxes. There is no limit on the number of children who are eligible for the expanded child tax credit.

If you opted out of receiving payments before the first check went out, you’ll get the full amount you qualify for at once — up to $3,600 per child under 6 and $3,000 per child ages 6 to 17. Any payments you missed due to IRS errors or because you unenrolled should be included with your tax refund.

What if you never got one or more child tax credit payments last year?

If you’re missing money from one of the previous checks due to an IRS error or outdated information, you can either wait for the issue to be resolved when you file your taxes or you can file a payment trace with the IRS. Before you do that, track your check to make sure it’s not already on the way.

Note that if you gained a dependent since you last filed taxes, the IRS wouldn’t have that information on file. If that’s your case, you won’t get any money until you file your taxes.

Will the advance payments you received affect your taxes this year?

The child tax credit payments you got this year could potentially affect your taxes (for better or worse). Here’s how:

• You received an overpayment and the IRS didn’t adjust the amount on later payments. You’ll have to pay this back.
• You received payments you didn’t qualify for. You’ll have to pay the IRS back.
• Your income changed, and you didn’t report it to the IRS. This could result in a larger or smaller tax refund or you owing the IRS, depending on if your income was higher or lower than what the IRS used to calculate your payment.
• You opted out of the payments last year, so your payout will be larger this year.
• You received money for a child who turned 18 last year. You may have to pay that money back.

How to get your child tax credit money if you had a newborn or adopted since last filing your taxes

If you had a baby by the end of December — or adopted one — you’ll be eligible for up to $3,600 for that child when you file your taxes. That includes back pay for the July through December advance payments and the chunk coming with your refund.

You should get that money when you claim your child on your tax return, which will let the IRS know about your household changes. 

For more information, here’s how to calculate how much child tax credit money you should get, how to use the IRS portals to update your household details and how to contact the IRS about child tax credit questions.

What’s the latest on enhanced child tax credit checks this year?

To date, the enhanced monthly child tax credit checks have expired and will revert back to the original amount unless a vote is made to extend the payments. The House of Representatives passed an extension of the child tax credit increase and advance payments when it ratified the Build Back Better bill in November. However, Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, said he wouldn’t support the bill unless a work requirement for parents is added, effectively killing the legislation.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has promised a vote on Build Back Better in January 2022. We’ll update this story as new information develops.