There's new optimism the $300 monthly child tax credit checks can be renewed -- but the relief may lo

[Beachnutt]

cnbc
President Joe Biden called the enhanced child tax credit “one of the most effective programs we’ve ever seen” at the recent White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health.

“That’s why my national strategy calls on Congress to expand the child credit permanently,” Biden said.

“We’ll get it done this time,” he added.
snip
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/08/how-monthly-child-tax-credit-checks-may-be-renewed-by-congress.html

[David__77]

1. I have a reflex against giving such funds directly to parents.

I would prefer that more services and points of getting free food and school supplies and free computers for young people exist. In other words, target it to the children, which happens to reduce cost to the parents. This also takes bad options out of parents hands.

The Republicans will eventually want to incentivize childbirth as they clamp down on reproductive choices.

[haele]

2. On the other hand - service provision for the poor is not uniform.

Experiments in giving poor families direct money has shown that around 95% of the time, that money is used to help the family by the parents - for better food, children's health care they couldn't afford, household maintenance, an emergency or kid's savings account, rent...
Rather than taking time off work and going through hoops trying to get services when a spouse loses a job or hours are cut.

It's true that it doesn't seem fair that even though this child credit is means tested, the better off (median income) families are still eligible for the child credit, but again, those parents will use that money to take financial pressure off those middle class families so they can take better care of their kids.
Remember, most families in America are still only one of two paychecks away from homelessness or bankruptcy. We aren't talking about the 1% who can blow through $10k a month and not notice it, we're talking about the 98% families bringing home $2k to $10k a month with over half of their income going to a home (rent or mortgage) and unavoidable bills (utilities, vehicle, insurance, health care, house maintenance, education to get that good paying job...) Along with food and clothes for growing children.

Just my two cents here.

Haele

[Genki Hikari]

3. It would be great if they'd remember the childless working poor

Every now and then.

What do we have to do to get some help? Start begging in the streets?

[XanaDUer2]

4. Thank you. Nt

[themaguffin]

5. I wasn't a fan of the "advance" credit that came out of the following year's taxes.

It should be changed or lower the threshold for who gets advanced money and not do that for higher incomes.