A Poverty Reduction Analysis of the American Family Act: An expanded and inclusive Child Tax Credit would cut child poverty by 45%
This fact sheet analyses the poverty reduction potential of the proposed American Family Act. The American Family Act would make the full Child Tax Credit benefit available to families with the lowest incomes and increase the maximum Child Tax Credit available to families with eligible children: families with children under age 6 could receive up to $3600 per young child each year and families with children aged 6 to 17 could receive up to $3000 per older child each year. This proposal informed the Child Tax Credit policy changes enacted for 2021 under the American Rescue Plan signed into law in March 2021.
This fact sheet provides poverty estimates by children's age, race and ethnicity, family characteristics. It provides estimates for children in poverty (below 100% of the Supplemental Poverty Measure threshold), deep poverty (below 50% of the Supplemental Poverty Measure threshold), and in families with low income (below 200% of the Supplemental Poverty Measure threshold). State level results are included.
Suggested Citation:
Center on Poverty and Social Policy, Columbia University. 2021. A poverty reduction analysis of the American Family Act. Poverty and Social Policy Fact Sheet. New York: Center on Poverty and Social Policy, Columbia University.
Published on January 25, 2021.