Stimulus Check Update: Child Tax Credit Deadline Looms for Millions

More than 9 million people and families who did not receive their advance Child Tax Credit checks, stimulus payments and other tax rebates must file a 2021 federal income tax return to claim them ahead of a looming deadline.

The expanded tax credit was originally offered through President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, making them available for the first time to millions of children whose caregivers earned too little income to file taxes.

The changes raised the tax credit to $3,000 for each child aged 6 through 17, and to $3,600 for those aged 5 and under.

But according to the Internal Revenue Service, some families may be leaving that money unclaimed, as well as other payments owed to them.

The IRS said on Thursday that it is sending out letters to those who may be eligible to claim some or all of the Child Tax Credit, the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit but haven't yet filed a 2021 return to claim them.

"The IRS wants to remind potentially eligible people, especially families, that they may qualify for these valuable tax credits," IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said in a statement.

"We encourage people who haven't filed a tax return yet for 2021 to review these options. Even if they aren't required to file a tax return, they may still qualify for several important credits. We don't want people to overlook these tax credits, and the letters will remind people of their potential eligibility and steps they can take."

For those who filed for an extension on their 2021 tax returns, the deadline to submit their return and availed a late-filing penalty is Monday, October 17.

But the IRS is urging people, including those with little or no income and therefore are not required to pay taxes, to use the Free File program to receive their payments quickly. The program is remaining open an extra month, until November 17.

The IRS said 2021 tax returns can also be filed at ChildTaxCredit.gov/file.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Ian has extended the tax deadline for Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina from October 17 to February 15, 2023.

In a report released this week, the U.S. Government Accountability Office said the IRS and U.S. Treasury has struggled to get COVID-relief payments to millions of people.

The GAO said that despite "sweeping communications and outreach efforts" to publicize the expanded child tax credit and COVID-19 payments, many groups had difficult receiving the payments.

They included hose that "had never filled a tax return, were filing for the first time, did not have bank accounts or lacked access to banks, those with mixed immigrant status families, those with limited or no internet access and those experiencing homelessness."