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Congresswoman Escobar Secures Child Tax Credit for Over 93% of El Paso Children, Urges Families to File Taxes to Receive Advanced Payments

The expanded and improved CTC will be transformative and lift thousands of families in El Paso out of poverty

Washington, D.C., May 14, 2021

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) announced the benefits of the expanded and improved Child Tax Credit (CTC) secured in the American Rescue Plan and urged El Paso families to file their 2020 taxes before the upcoming June 15 deadline to ensure they receive the accurate amount in new advance monthly CTC payments they are entitled to as soon as possible. 

“By expanding the Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan, 191,300 El Paso children and their families will receive the financial support they need to recover from the coronavirus pandemic,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “This is the critical relief American families need and I will continue to work in Congress to ensure that this historic tax credit is made permanent as we seek to eliminate childhood poverty over the long-term. In the meantime, I urge El Paso families to file their 2020 taxes now so they can receive their advanced payments as soon as possible.”

According to data compiled by Co-Equal and published by the House Appropriations Committee:

  • 93.9% of children in Texas’ 16th Congressional District will gain from the expanded and improved Child Tax Credit. That is 191,300 children.
  • The average benefit for 53,800 households will be $3,200.
  • The expanded and improved Child Tax Credit will lift 16,000 children out of poverty in El Paso.
  • Because of the larger benefit for the youngest, 5,800 kids under the age of six will be raised out of poverty in El Paso.
  • Families with children in poverty will receive $4,900 on average.
  • The expanded and improved Child Tax Credit will lift 3,800 children out of deep poverty in El Paso.

The American Rescue Plan expanded the Child Tax Credit to up to $3,600 per child for children ages 0 to 5 and $3,000 per child for children ages 6 to 17. The American Rescue Plan also authorized advance monthly payments of the Child Tax Credit through December 2021. Beginning as soon as July and running through December, qualifying families can get up to: 

  • $300 a month per child for children ages 0 to 5
  • $250 a month per child for children ages 6 to 17 

Families will qualify for a full credit advance monthly payment if their income is below $75,000 for single filers, $112,000 for those filing as head of household, or $150,000 for those who are married and failing jointly. To be eligible, children must:

  • Have a Social Security number,
  • Live with you for at least half of the year,
  • Be under the age of 19 as of December 21, 2021, and
  • Be claimed on your tax return.

The best way to ensure eligible families receive their payments is to file a 2020 tax return – even if they don’t have earnings to report or don’t normally file – because the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) needs information from tax returns in order to calculate and issue monthly payments. Families find a local IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance to receive free tax help here.

To learn more about the Child Tax Credit payments, click here.

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