By Ellie Kaverman, Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP), December 9, 2021
“There’s nothing like waking up and worrying if today they’re going to turn a utility off or wondering how much time you have to come up with the money to prevent that from happening,” Patricia, a mother of four in Michigan told us. For her, economic security would mean “not having to beg and borrow if you don’t have it or try to come up with last resort tactics to make sure you have groceries.”
The Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) spoke with Patricia and other caregivers of color to understand how the recently expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) is impacting them, and to learn what they would need from a permanent child allowance—or a guaranteed income for families with children—in order to feel economically secure. Many families like Patricia’s have been receiving monthly checks since July 2021, due to the American Rescue Plan’s temporary expansion of the CTC. These payments, however, will end on December 15, 2021, unless Congress takes action to extend it.
CSSP’s research is ongoing, and our interviews have underscored the intense stress that many families experience to afford the “basics” like purchasing school uniforms and putting food on the table. They have also highlighted how helpful the monthly distribution of the CTC has been in providing financial stability for their family and reducing their stress. This emerging theme in CSSP’s research aligns with national findings on the expanded CTC, including a recent national poll by the Center for Law and Social Policy and partners that found almost 70 percent of respondents reported that monthly CTC payments made them feel less stressed about money.
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