One week after September child tax credit (CTC) payments were sent out by the IRS, several parents tell CNBC Make It they still have not received theirs.
The parents say the IRS won’t give them a clear answer on why they haven’t gotten the deposits yet and that the CTC portal on the agency’s website does not even show that the payments have been processed yet.
“I was depending on it, I budgeted around it,” says Lisa Haugen, 49, who received $250 for her daughter in July and August. “I’m angry. The IRS needs to acknowledge us [and] needs to come up with a way for us to let them know we’re affected.”
The September CTC payments were scheduled to be direct deposited on the 15th. While many households received theirs with no problem, others have not fared so well. Many of the parents tell CNBC Make It that they got the first two monthly payments with no issue and have no idea why it would be different this time.
CNBC Make It reached out to the IRS last week about reported payment delays, and after first saying there were “no widespread issues,” the agency acknowledged it was aware of the missing deposits and was looking into the situation. On Tuesday of this week, the agency said it did not have an update to share yet.
It is not clear how many families are affected, but hundreds have reached out to CNBC Make It, and many more are sharing their stories and asking for advice in Facebook groups and on Reddit.
Arielle Schmitt, 30, says she had planned to use the $300 she expected to receive for her son’s preschool tuition. She has tried to get through to the IRS multiple times to no avail.
“I really hope that they get on the ball because with the PUA ending … this was just another punch in the gut,” she says, referring to a coronavirus unemployment insurance program that expired.
“The IRS seems to be messing with everyone’s livelihood in a hard time,” Schmitt adds.
Parents who were able to talk to IRS representatives said they received differing responses to what happened. Some said they were told the issue would be resolved soon, while others said they were told they would get the missing September payment when they file their taxes next year.
Haugen, who says she has called the IRS every day since last Wednesday, says that isn’t good enough.
“We obviously need the money now, not next year when we file taxes, or we would’ve opted out,” she says.
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Don’t miss: ‘We need this money’: Parents report problems receiving September child tax credit
