A letter from the IRS telling millions of American parents how much advance money they received from the 2021 child tax credit has started arriving in mailboxes. The information is meant to help with their tax returns later this year.
The American Rescue Plan, passed in March 2021, increased the annual child tax credit to $3,600 for children under age 6 and $3,000 for kids age 6-17. From July through December 2021, eligible Americans were allowed to receive up to $300 per month for kids under 6 and $250 per month for kids 6-17. They were also eligible to opt out of some or all the payments.
These payments were an advance on the full amount, which is the purpose of the letter.
Letter 6419, which is in English on the front and Spanish on the back, provides the following information, which will go on a Schedule 8812.
- How much in advance monthly child tax credit payments the person received, located in Box 1 of the letter.
- The number of qualifying children used to determine that amount, which is located in Box 2.
For parents who are married and file jointly, each parent will receive a letter. The amount in Box 1 of each letter needs to be added together to put on the Schedule 8812.
Whatever amount the parents did not receive via monthly payments will be paid out once the tax return is filed. So a couple with one child under the age of 6 who received $900 each, or $1,800 total, will be due another $1,800 total after taxes are filed.
People who received the monthly payments can also check how much they they got through the CTC Update Portal on the IRS website.
Americans should also keep an eye out for Letter 6475, informing them of how much they received from the third Economic Impact Payment, better known as the third stimulus check.