March 21, 2022

Congressman Castro Visits VITA Site to Highlight Ongoing Benefits of the American Rescue Plan’s Child Tax Credit Expansion

SAN ANTONIO — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) visited a VITA tax-preparation site at The Neighborhood Place in San Antonio to thank VITA workers and highlight the ongoing benefits of the expanded Child Tax Credit for San Antonio families.

Rep. Castro visiting a San Antonio VITA site at The Neighborhood Place.

“Every year, hard-working VITA volunteers fan out across our city to help San Antonians file their taxes and get the refunds they earned. This year, as families look forward to the second half of the expanded Child Tax Credit, VITA volunteers are more important than ever,” said Congressman Joaquin Castro. “Last March, I voted to expand the Child Tax Credit to help families cope with the financial burden of the pandemic. Since the first payments went out, this historic tax break for working families has lifted thousands of local kids out of poverty and helped families buy groceries, pay their bills, and build a better life. The second half of the Child Tax Credit will deliver at least $1,500 per child to most families — and I hope that all San Antonians will file their taxes as soon as possible to get the tax breaks they deserve.”

In March 2021, Congressman Castro voted to pass the American Rescue Plan with one of the largest tax cuts for American families in history. The law expanded the existing Child Tax Credit to $3,600 per child (for children under 6) or $3,000 per child (for children 6-7). Mixed-status families with one or more undocumented members are eligible to receive the expanded Child Tax Credit as long as the qualifying child has a Social Security Number.

From July through December 2021, the IRS advanced half the expanded credit to families through monthly payments, delivering $261 million for more than 172,000 children in Texas’s 20th Congressional District. To claim the full credit, families must file their 2021 tax returns. Families who did not receive six monthly payments from July – December 2021 will receive any missed payments in their 2021 tax refund.

VITA tax sites provide federally funded free tax preparation assistance to people making under $55,000. San Antonians can find VITA sites in their neighborhood by visiting vitasa.org.