July 17, 2021
Dear Friends,
This week marked another crucial milestone for our work to deliver a COVID lifeline that protects and lifts up our struggling families and communities: the start of the new & improved Child Tax Credit!
As part of the American Rescue Plan that I was proud to help advance into law earlier this year, nearly every working family with kids can get a monthly Child Tax Credit payment of up to $300 per child. The first checks and deposits started reaching people on Thursday and these payments will continue each month at least through the end of 2021.
It would be hard to overstate how important this new pillar of support will be for our nation’s future. Earlier this week I held a press conference highlighting the expected impact of the Child Tax Credit for our region and for America as a whole. We cannot afford to miss a single opportunity to get the message out, encouraging every eligible family to make sure they are signed up for this benefit!
During that press conference, I was honored to be joined by Rockefeller Institute of Government Senior Policy Analyst Dr. Leigh Wedenoja who authored a recent analysis on the new Child Tax Credit, as well as Shana Davis, a friend and constituent from Latham and the guardian of her 17-year-old grandchild—one voice from among the 14 million U.S. households who are newly eligible to receive this expanded benefit for our children.
My staff sometimes jokingly calls this new benefit “Kid Cash” and while the term is lighthearted, it also seems fitting because this benefit alone is expected to slash child poverty in America in half.
In half. That means millions of kids who would never have been given a chance will now see open doors, full plates, maybe a few more books on the shelves, and more. We know the toll that poverty is taking on America’s next generation. As with so many of our nation’s most pressing challenges, the costs of inaction are far greater than for any solution yet proposed.
In our own Capital Region, the new and improved Child Tax Credit could:
- Deliver up to $300 per month, per child for the rest of this year to more than 37,000 NY-20 households, with even more financial support when you file your taxes next year
- Help lift more than 5,000 kids across our region out of poverty
Families qualify for a full $300 credit if their income is below $75,000 for single filers, $112,500 for people filing as head of household, or $150,000 for people who are married and filing jointly.
But this is not just about economics, it’s about doing what is right. Here in the richest country in the world, there is simply no excuse for us to abandon any of America’s children—to look the other way while they go hungry, experience housing insecurity or the countless other stresses that we know can lead to a lifetime of lost potential.
And that means, even while we celebrate the successes of this new Kid Cash support, our work lifting America’s kids out of poverty is far from done.
If you’ve filed tax returns for 2019 or 2020, or if you signed up to receive a stimulus check from the IRS, you can expect to receive this tax relief automatically. You don’t need to sign up or take any action. If you have not filed recent tax returns or use the IRS Non-filers tool last year to sign up for the Economic Impact Payments, you can use the IRS Child Tax Credit Non-filer Sign-up Tool to sign up today! You can learn more about the Child Tax Credit here.
I’m thrilled at the success we’re having during this term in Congress putting more money in the hands of hardworking parents to help you buy groceries, pay rent and afford child care so more of us can focus on our work helping rebuild our communities and our economy.
We must continue to build on the vital work of our American Rescue Plan to offer American families the support they need. I, for one will not stop pushing in Congress for measures that will help build a brighter future for our kids.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
Throughout this pandemic, my office and I have worked to make sure you remain informed with the latest local, state and federal updates and recommendations. With that in mind here is some information about the that may be of interest to you:
- The City of Albany’s Office of Audit and Control is announcing an exciting program for young residents of the Capital Region.
- The Ready.Set.Goal! program is designed to create opportunities for motivated students and expose them to leadership opportunities, entrepreneurship, and workshops.
- Encourage the students in your life to apply and become future leaders in the Capitol Region by learning college preparedness, goal setting, and networking skills.
- All applications are due by Friday, July 23, 2021 at 5:00 PM
- To apply students must be residents of the City of Albany and must be enrolled in the eighth or ninth grade.
- Apply HERE!
