Treasury, IRS announce tool to help non-filers register for child tax credit

The Treasury Department on Monday announced a new tool designed to help families that normally aren’t required to file tax returns register for the monthly child tax credit created under the American Rescue Plan, the Biden administration’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill signed into law earlier this year.

The new “Child Tax Credit Non-filer Sign-up Tool” is meant for people who did not file an income tax return in 2019 or 2020 but may qualify for the credit.

“At Treasury, our goal is to make sure that every American can get the relief funding they need as simply as possible,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in the announcement. “We know working families can’t put off paying for doctor’s visits or grocery bills, and this new tool will help more people get their tax credit every month, starting in July.”

People who use the tool may enter direct deposit bank information so the IRS can deposit payments. Those who used the IRS’s non-filers tool last year to receive coronavirus stimulus payments do not have to sign up to receive these tax credits.

This updated IRS tool is also meant to help people who normally don’t file tax returns to register for the third round of stimulus payments and to receive recovery rebate credit for any of the first two stimulus payments they may have missed.

The IRS developed this tool by working with financial service companies Intuit and the Free File Alliance.

“Today’s announcement represents the latest collaboration between the Bureau of the Fiscal Service and the IRS — and between Treasury and the White House American Rescue Plan Implementation Team — to ensure help quickly reaches Americans in need as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic,” the announcement read.

The IRS will also be rolling out new tools like a child tax credit eligibility assistant to help families determine their eligibility, as well as a child tax credit update portal that will allow them to check on the status of their payments and unenroll if they wish.