Ruppersberger Urges Marylanders to File Taxes to Benefit from Expanded Child Tax Credit

Press Release

Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger today urged Maryland families to file their taxes if they have not already in order to receive monthly checks under a recently-expanded and improved Child Tax Credit. Many parents who did not previously qualify for the Child Tax Credit are now eligible under one-year changes that were included in the American Rescue Plan. The extended deadline to file federal income taxes is May 17.

Starting in July, the Child Tax Credit will provide families $250 per child per month and $300 per child under six to help parents buy groceries, pay rent, and afford childcare. The new changes are expected to benefit 1,027,000 Maryland children and lift 51,400 out of poverty.

Congressman Ruppersberger is supporting efforts on Capitol Hill to make the improvements permanent.

"By including lower-income families and providing monthly payments, we're taking a step toward not only helping families recover and rebuild from the coronavirus pandemic, but strengthening the entire middle class," Congressman Ruppersberger said. "These payments will help Maryland families feel more secure and better able to deal with regularly-occurring expenses that have only become more burdensome with the spread of COVID-19."

The expansion of the Child Tax Credit is expected to reduce child poverty in Maryland by one-third and "deep poverty" among Maryland children by 40 percent, according to new research from Columbia University.

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