![Child Tax Credits in 2021 Mean Smaller Tax Refunds, You May Even Owe Money](https://townsquare.media/site/29/files/2016/05/517042314.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Child Tax Credits in 2021 Mean Smaller Tax Refunds, You May Even Owe Money
Families who received the expanded monthly child tax credit payments in 2021 and getting smaller refunds and many are finding themselves owing Uncle Sam this tax season.
It was too good to be true, as always. Most Americans thought the child tax credits in 2021 were a blessing. And they may have been at the time. Reports claim the advanced payments, which is what they were, helped families financially during the pandemic. The payments allowed parents to get by until they received their tax refunds. That was a good thing. That process kept a ton of children out of poverty. Except, most families are seeing exceptionally lower tax refunds because of it. Most Americans didn't read the fine print. Parents thought their tax refund amounts would be comparable to years past. Not so. It's payback time. And if things weren't bad enough, because of an error many families are finding themselves owing money this tax filing season because they were paid too much.
The child tax credits program raised credits up to $3,600 per child. Half of the credits were handed out in monthly installments last year, families will have to report the remaining amount this tax season.
However, in error, some families received more money than they should have. And now the federal government wants the money back.
In addition to smaller tax refunds and owing money this tax season, families are paying more at the pump, on groceries, rent has gone up and a new home costs almost 40% more now than before the pandemic. So now, requests for financial assistance are on the rise.
Congress did not approve an extension on the program.
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