2022 Child Tax Credit: What You Need to Know

Last year, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provided monthly Child Tax Credit (CTC) payments to families as part of the American Rescue Plan. Eligible parents and caregivers with children younger than 18 received up to $1,800 per child depending on the child’s age. Advance payments ended in December 2021, and legislation to extend the expanded tax credit and advance monthly payments for another year has stalled, but you may be eligible to receive additional funds depending on how much you received in 2021.

You may have received Letter 6419 from the IRS in January 2022, providing the total amount of advance CTC payments issued to your family in 2021.

Good news: If you received less than the total amount you were eligible for in 2021, you can claim a credit for the remaining amount on this year’s tax return. Families who received more than they are eligible for may need to repay some or all of the excess amount. If you think the advance CTC payment information listed in your 6419 letter is incorrect, you can check the amounts by visiting www.IRS.gov.

Note: Families who received advance payments in 2021 must file in 2022 to receive the rest of their payments. This includes families who signed up online using the IRS Non-Filer portal or GetCTC.org. Filers do not need to have had income to claim the credit. Only the children being claimed need to have Social Security numbers (SSN); the filer does not need an SSN and can file using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).

If you have additional questions about filing for the 2021 Child Tax Credit, visit the IRS FAQ.

Although the monthly payments have expired, eligible families can still claim the full Child Tax Credit when they file their 2022 income tax returns in 2023.