Advocates: Access, awareness mean many Ohio children not receiving tax credit payments

Whether because of a lack of computer access, lack of awareness or mistrust, about 180,000 children in Ohio are not benefitting from the government’s enhanced Child Tax Credit program.

That’s the conclusion drawn by Alex Coccia, a senior policy analyst at the Center for the Study of Social Policy, a national nonprofit organization.

On a conference call with several members of local and national nonprofits this week, Coccia said that through the first two months of the program, 2.151 million Ohio children have received the tax credit’s advance payments, but he estimated that 2.33 million children are eligible.

The monthly payments (of either $250 or $300 per child) began in July and will continue through December, with another six months’ worth of money available upon filing a tax return in 2022.

If you have kids and don't file a tax return, you need to 'opt in' to get the money

The payments go out automatically to the roughly 90% of eligible Americans who filed a tax return this year, but the concern is that the “non-filers” still may be unaware of the benefit.

Those who do not file a tax return (because of very low incomes or several other reasons) must “opt in” through an online portal on the IRS website.

And that’s where access issues begin.

“We’re worried about non-English speakers, those who lack secure housing, and those with limited internet access,” Coccia said.

Melissa Skilliter is an attorney and director of the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic at Southeastern Ohio Legal Services. She said she has encountered confusion about the program.

“Some people think it’s too good to be true, like we may be scammers, and there are bad guys out there trying to get their hands on stimulus checks or these tax credit payments,” Skilliter said. “In terms of outreach, the best bet is when you have people who have good solid ongoing relationships, like caseworkers, or those working in domestic-violence or homeless shelters, people who can help provide information.”

The IRS website has two portals. One is for those who filed a tax return this year but need to update their information, such as adding a newborn child or changing an address: www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal.

The other portal is where non-filers can sign up for the credit: www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-non-filer-sign-up-tool.

kgordon@dispatch.com

@kgdispatch