http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/1493COMMENTARY
Child Tax Credit Leaves Many Female Parents Behind
By Nancy Duff Campbell - WeNews commentator
(WOMENSENEWS)--The U.S. Treasury sent the last wave of child tax credit checks on August 8 to millions of middle- and upper-income American families, giving them extra money as they take family vacations or shop for back-to-school supplies. Unfortunately, for more than 7 million low-wage families--those with incomes between $10,500 and $26,625, who could use the help even more--the check was not in the mail.
Why? Because a bill to provide them with an increase in the child tax credit--passed by the Senate right after the $350 billion tax-cut package enacted in May--is stalled in Congress. The failure to pass this legislation hits women and children disproportionately hard.
The $350 billion tax cut package that Congress enacted in May accelerated many of the tax cuts that were enacted in 2001 but not scheduled to take effect until 2004 or later, including cuts in tax rates for families in the highest tax brackets and an increase in the child tax credit for families with children from $600 to $1,000 per child. This summer, many families received an advance payment of the child tax credit increase in the form of a check of up to $400 per child.
However, many low-income families will not benefit from this increase this year because Congress did not accelerate the provision to make more of the child tax credit refundable for 7 million low-wage families who pay little or no income tax but pay significant federal and state payroll and sales taxes.
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