WASHINGTON – Earlier today, Treasury and White House officials hosted a video call with Code for America to announce their collaboration and launch of the civic technology non-profit’s new mobile-friendly and bilingual Child Tax Credit (CTC) sign-up tool – GetCTC.org. The call featured comments from White House and Treasury officials and a demonstration of the new tool by Code for America. The call also included a wide range of organizations that have been actively engaged in CTC outreach efforts and offered guidance on how they can help raise awareness and drive enrollments through the new tool. Leaders of grassroots organizations also spoke on the call about their shared commitment to ensuring the advance CTC reaches every possible eligible family.
Administration officials emphasized that the launch of this tool is the latest step in an all-out effort to help more Americans who do not regularly file taxes to claim their CTC. They also reiterated that while the Code for America tool is an important and necessary resource to help more families this tax season, the Administration remains committed to creating a permanent, fully resourced, multi-lingual, and mobile-friendly government sign-up tool. This commitment is part of the Biden Administration’s efforts to extend the expanded CTC program. Officials also reiterated their commitment to working with Congress to provide the necessary funding for a multi-year effort — leveraging public sector and community-oriented solutions — to reach and sign up more families and children.
Treasury and White House officials highlighted recent data showing how this monthly tax relief is already helping families with the costs of raising children – from the most basic expenses to paying dental bills, helping with afterschool and summer activities, or getting extra help for school. According the Census Household Pulse Survey, food instability among all families with children fell by 24% immediately after the first payments went out. A Columbia analysis found that low-income families with children who received the first monthly payment experienced a 43% decline in food insufficiency.
The Administration will link to the new sign-up portal – GetCTC.org – and over the coming weeks, the Administration will host dozens of navigator trainings on the new Code for American portal for public sector and community-based organizations seeking to enroll non-filers in the Child Tax Credit.