Ayanna Pressley pushes child tax credit for single parents with $150,000 incomes

Rep. Ayanna Pressley on Friday objected to single parents having to pay 100% of their childcare expenses.

She made the objection to highlight her bill that would raise the top annual income level to $150,000 for a single parent to qualify for a $3,000 child tax credit.

“On top of providing 100% of the family’s income, most single parents are responsible for 100% of childcare costs. Yet, it’s harder for single parents to qualify for the #ChildTaxCredit,” tweeted Ms. Pressley, a Massachusetts Democrat and member of the Congress’ far-left “Squad.”

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The tweet included a graphic with the message: “It costs $233,610 to raise a child (that’s a scary number). That number is twice as scary for single parents.”

The bill by Ms. Pressley and fellow progressive Democratic Reps. Katie Porter of California and Don Beyer of Virginia would change the tax code so that those filing as individuals, heads of household or married couples could make $150,000 a year and still qualify for the child tax credit.

Currently, the child tax credit starts to phases out at annual incomes of $75,000 for individuals, $112,500 for heads of household and $150,000 for married couples.

The majority of single parents file as head of household, according to the lawmakers.

“The single parent penalty must be removed,” said Ms. Pressely.

President Biden’s $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package increased the child tax credit for 2021 to $300 per child ages 6 to 17 and $3,600 for children under 6.

The expanded child tax credit is supposed to only last for tax returns filed in 2021, but lawmakers are trying to extend it as part of Mr. Biden’s $1.8 trillion American Families Plan.

“Our single parents need all the help they can get,” Ms. Pressley said when the bill was introduced Thursday. “My bill with Rep. Porter would fix our antiquated tax code to make it easier for single parents to access the critical relief they need to survive this crisis. This is a racial, gender, and economic justice issue.”