A significant number of parents eligible for the expanded child income tax credit- which launched in July- may not be getting the funds to which they are entitled.
A poll taken by the Maine People's Alliance found that about 48% of respondents either reported not receiving the payment- or were unsure if they'd received it, with many unclear on whether they were eligible or not.
MPA strategist Mike Tipping says it may be that those who need the credit the most are the ones losing out.
"Well, one thing we're seeing from the data is the people that are likely eligible -and report not having yet received the child tax credit- have lower household incomes, have lower education levels- and more outreach needs to be done," Tipping says.
Tipping says some low income parents may not have filed income tax in previous years, and therefore may not receive an automatic payment. But he says the vast majority of Maine families are eligible for the credit and should apply on the IRS website.
