IRS Provides Online Child Tax Credit Check

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has launched a site for taxpayers to check the status of their child tax credits. After entering a social security number, filing status and the number of claimed exemptions, the service will calculate the amount of the refund.

Similar to the IRS’ Popular “Where’s My Refund? site, the program can be accessed by clicking on the “Where’s My Advance Child Tax Credit?” link on the IRS site. The service is only available online and has recorded more than nine million hits so far.

In late July, the IRS began mailing the first of more than 25 million checks provided under the recent tax law change that increased the maximum credit amount from $600 to $1,000 per qualifying child and directed that taxpayers receive the increase this summer, rather than waiting until they file their 2003 returns.

The initial checks are going to those who filed early enough for the IRS to process their returns by early July. The mailing date depends on the last two digits of the taxpayers social security number. For numbers ending in 00-33, the mailing date was July 25; for 34-66, Aug. 1; and for 67-99, Aug. 8.

People who filed after April 15 will get any advance payment they are entitled to receive after the IRS processes their 2002 return.