GREENSBORO, N.C. — Even in the middle of a pandemic, you still have bills to pay like house payments, phone bills, or maybe even medical bills
It might be nice if you had your stimulus check money to help you.
That's why Mark Hensley, AARP NC Triad Region joins 2 Wants to Know to help viewers understand what could be going on with their money.
What should I do if I'm still waiting on my payment?
File your taxes! The seventh round of stimulus payments just went out and everyone included in that batch of payments recently filed a tax return which either gave the IRS the info to make the payment or it alerted the IRS they were owed money due to the return.
What if I don't file taxes?
The IRS continues to put out this reminder- if you don't normally file taxes... you should. It's the only way to claim the stimulus money and it will help the IRS figure out if you should get the child tax credit advance payment checks that start this summer.
Check out the many FREE FILE options.
ADVANCE CHILD TAX CREDIT PAYMENTS DUE THIS SUMMER
More checks are coming. The American Rescue Plan expanded the Child Tax Credit in several ways.
Change #1: 17-year-olds are now included.
Change #2: The credit is now between $2,000 to $3,600 per child.
Change #3: You can get the tax credit BEFORE you file taxes. Monthly payments begin in July.
Change #4: The thresholds for phasing out increased (people who make more will not get more than they have in the past).
Families can receive $3,000 for each child from 6 to 17 years of age
and $3,600 for each child under the age of 6 for the 2021 tax year.
Normally, taxpayers would have received the money when they filed their tax returns and claimed the credit. Now, you don't have to wait until next year, the government is sending it out in monthly installments starting this summer.