Child Tax Credit

Financial Security

The 2021 temporary expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) is unprecedented in its reach and is predicted to cut American child poverty by more than half. In order to understand the effect that the expansion has on American families, the Social Policy Institute has conducted several research studies.

The first study, a nationally representative survey, seeks to understand how families use their tax credit and its effect on their employment and wellbeing. This research is ongoing and will examine the impacts of the CTC on family household well-being through 2022. Additionally, using the Census’ House Pulse Survey data, researchers at the institute analyzed usages of the credit state-by-state and the CTC’s effect on employment nationally.

The most recent national survey report, published by Brookings Institution on April 13, 2022, is accessible here.

Effect on employment

While studying the Child Tax Credit the Social Policy Institute researched how the credit has affected employment.

National surveys on CTC impacts

In order to understand the impact of the Child Tax Credit on American families, the Social Policy Institute released a nationally representative survey with a control group of non-eligible families and individuals.

State-by-state analysis

These briefs use data from the Census Household Pulse survey to examine how a representative sample of CTC-eligible families making less than $150,000 a year report using their payments. This survey was administered between July 21 and August 16, covering the period in which the first two CTC payments were deposited in families’ bank account. These fact sheets include key data on CTC receipt, payment usage, and changes in families’ food security after the payments went out.

Principal Investigators