From January 24 to April 18, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) received and processed millions of federal tax returns across the country.
Although the deadline to declare taxes came to an end at the beginning of this week, the truth is that there are around 66 million Americans who did not complete the respective procedure, however, they can still request an extension to file until October the 17th.
That said, the IRS urges taxpayers who have not done so to file their tax returns - for tax year 2021 - as soon as possible, especially because of the enhanced tax credits that became available for the year, including the Tax Credit for Sons.
Can I claim the Child Tax Credit if I have not filed the Tax Return?
The answer is simple: No.
The 2021 Child Tax Credit (CTC) can only be claimed by filing a tax return with the IRS.
Taxpayers who do not owe taxes will not be penalized for filing late and will still be in time to claim Child Tax Credit payments. All they have to do is file their tax return.
With this, taxpayers with dependents will be able to claim up to $3,600 per child, as well as other available tax credits in tax year 2021 at any time until April 15, 2025.
The IRS makes a special mention for the tax returns corresponding to 2021, since, for the first time in history, families with children in Puerto Rico are eligible to claim the CTC.
In addition to the CTC, other credits that could result in a tax reduction or refund are the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, which reimburses you up to $8,000 for day care expenses.
Similarly, families who welcomed a new dependent may be eligible for a third Economic Impact Payment of $1,400 by also filing their taxes and claiming it through the Recovery Refund Credit.