Colorado Politics

Sen. Michael Bennet sets telephone town hall to talk child tax credit

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet will hold a telephone town hall on Monday to discuss the expanded child tax credit, which starts arriving as direct payments to families next week.

The expanded credit boosts the existing $2,000-per-child tax credit to $3,600 for children under six and $3,000 for children through age 17. It’s a fully refundable credit, meaning parents can receive the benefit even if they don’t make enough money to pay taxes.

Also new this year, starting on July 15 qualifying families will receive monthly direct deposits or checks for $250 or $300 for each child, depending on their age, instead of in a lump sum at tax time.

Bennet plans to answer questions about the benefit and talk about his push to make it permanent in a telephone town hall set for 5-6 p.m. Monday. Participants can call 833-946-1565 to join the call or listen in and submit questions online at the senator’s website.

Colorado Politics’ Insider newsletter tells you all you need to know about the latest in Colorado’s political arena. Subscribe through the newsletter button on our homepage.

The Colorado Democrat will be joined by schools superintendents George Welsh of Cañon City School District and Tracy Dorland of Jeffco Public School District, as well as a representative of the Colorado Taxpayer Advocate Service.

Eligible recipients who didn’t file 2019 or 2020 tax returns can sign up to receive the benefit on a non-filer portal run by the IRS.

“This is the most significant investment Washington has made in children and families in decades,” Bennet said during a recent virtual event promoting the program. “It’s going to make a massive difference in the lives of kids and families here in Colorado and across the country.”

The expanded credit was part of the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package signed by President Joe Biden in March, but it’s only in place for the 2021 tax year. Biden has proposed extending the expanded credit for five years, but Bennet and other Democrats are pushing to make the program permanent.

U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, D-Colo., front, makes a point as U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., looks on during a visit to a pair of buses set up as traveling clinics as part of the state’s Vaccines For All” campaign on Friday, June 18, 2021, in Aurora, Colo.
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Tags

PREV

PREVIOUS

Woman accused of hitting protester with car during Denver George Floyd protests found not guilty of assault

A woman accused of driving into a protester with her vehicle near the state Capitol last year was found not guilty of assault Friday, according to her defense team. A jury did find Jennifer Watson, 37, guilty of a misdemeanor reckless driving charge. The incident, which was caught on video, happened May 28, 2020, near […]

NEXT

NEXT UP

Colorado's 1st gray wolf pack since 1940s now has 6 pups

Colorado’s first litter of gray wolf pups since the 1940s has grown to include six pups. Colorado Parks and Wildlife said Thursday that staff spotted the pups living in a den with two collared wolves known as John and Jane in northern Colorado, KCNC-TV reports. The agency first announced June 9 that staff had spotted three […]


Welcome Back.

Streak: 9 days i

Stories you've missed since your last login:

Stories you've saved for later:

Recommended stories based on your interests:

Edit my interests