Millions of individuals and families stand to receive money from the government through stimulus checks and monthly child tax credit payments.
However, many are still waiting on their stimulus checks, while others may not know how to sign up for the child tax credit payments.
The IRS this weekend is holding live events in 12 cities to help individuals and families who do not typically file tax returns access the money.
The events are taking place on Friday, July 9, and Saturday, July 10, in partnership with non-profit organizations, churches, community groups and other organizations. They are taking place in Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Milwaukee, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, St. Louis and Washington, D.C./Maryland.
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More details on specific locations and times can be found here.
The American Rescue Plan Act that was passed by Congress in March included third stimulus checks of up to $1,400 per person, as well as advance monthly payments of the child tax credit for up to $300 per month per child. In order to qualify for either the stimulus checks or child tax credit payments, individuals and families must meet certain requirements.
Those who attend the in-person events should bring their Social Security or Tax Identification Numbers for both themselves and their spouses, Social Security numbers for their children, their mailing and email addresses, as well as their bank account information in order to receive the payments by direct deposit.
More help to register for payments online
The IRS is planning to hold additional live events to help people sign up for the child tax credit and stimulus check payments.
However, if you cannot make it to those events, you can still access help online.
The IRS’ new non-filer sign-up web tool will let individuals and families enter in their information in order to register for the monthly child tax credit payments. The online tool will also let people submit for the $1,400 stimulus checks, as well as the recovery rebate credit for the first two payments issued by the government.
If instead you need to file a federal tax return, you can use the IRS’ free file program if your income is $72,000 or less.
Monthly child tax credit payments to start July 15
The monthly child tax credit checks are set to begin on July 15 and continue through December.
They will include payments of up to $300 per month per child under age 6 and up to $250 per month per child ages 6 through 17.
The IRS also has an online tool available to check whether your family is eligible for the advance child tax credit payments.
Most families will receive the child tax credit payments automatically. However, those who do not typically file tax returns, including low-income families or other underserved groups, are encouraged to submit their information in order to receive the money.
More than 35 million returns still not processed
This year, many Americans were encouraged to file tax returns even if they normally do not in order to receive the stimulus checks and any other tax credits for which they may be eligible.
However, some Americans are still complaining that they have not received their stimulus checks.
One reason for that could be that the IRS still has a backlog of more than 35 million tax returns to process. That includes about 16.8 million paper returns, 15.8 million returns pending further review and 2.7 million amended returns.
It is estimated that more than 8 million taxpayers will be eligible for recovery rebate tax credits, or unpaid stimulus check funds, this year.
“For taxpayers who can afford to wait, the best advice is to be patient and give the IRS time to work through its processing backlog,” National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins wrote in a recent report to Congress.