LAFAYETTE, La. — President Joe Biden is expected to sign the American Rescue Plan on Friday, which features $1,400 stimulus checks for many Americans.
But in addition to the direct payments, the newly approved stimulus package features an increase to the amount of cash parents can get per child. Plus, the cap for how much parents make and the requirements to receive this federal money has changed.
There will be an increased Child Tax Credit in 2021, bringing it to up to $3,600 for children under the age of six and up to $3,000 for ages six to 17, and even families without income will receive it. The IRS will distribute the funds in payments of as much as $300 per month. The payments are expected to begin going out in July.
Danzeria Farris is a single mom who says it’s been challenging to make it through the pandemic.
She works at Family Dollar and is considered an essential worker, so she never stopped working. Her daughter’s father was laid off during the pandemic.
She says the pain many people have endured might not be alleviated by this change.
“It’s a bit like too little too late,” said Farris. “I feel like we’ve been going through this pandemic for a while now and people have been suffering for a while.”
Payments are expected to last for one year based on the passage of the American Rescue Plan.
She says, for the most part, the government had left families to mend for themselves during the pandemic.
“We’ve been having to figure it out and make something happen,” said Farris. “I guess that’s kinda the American spirit - ‘Pull yourself up by your bootstraps,’ but sometimes we don’t even have boots. We’re not wearing boots.”
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