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All the extra stimulus check money parents and the elderly could get in their third payment

You and your dependents could be eligible for way more than a $1,400 stimulus check. Here are all the special circumstances for parents and older adults.

Alison DeNisco Rayome Managing Editor
Managing Editor Alison DeNisco Rayome joined CNET in 2019, and is a member of the Home team. She is a co-lead of the CNET Tips and We Do the Math series, and manages the Home Tips series, testing out new hacks for cooking, cleaning and tinkering with all of the gadgets and appliances in your house. Alison was previously an editor at TechRepublic.
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Shelby Brown (she/her/hers) is an editor for CNET's services team. She covers tips and tricks for apps, operating systems and devices, as well as mobile gaming and Apple Arcade news. Shelby also oversees Tech Tips coverage. Before joining CNET, she covered app news for Download.com and served as a freelancer for Louisville.com.
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Alison DeNisco Rayome
Shelby Brown
3 min read
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Your family could see thousands of dollars in tax benefits this year.

Sarah Tew/CNET

For those who qualify for the third stimulus check that maxes out at $1,400, that money is intended to help individuals and families bridge over the current economic straits. The American Rescue Plan that authorized those payments, however, includes other financial assistance that could benefit some of the most vulnerable Americans, including parents and the elderly.

Most prominently, the stimulus law expands the definition of dependent to loop in those of any age -- including adults. The American Rescue Plan comes with several provisions aimed at lowering child poverty rates in the US that could bring some families an extra infusion of cash this year. For instance, it expands the child tax credit to make payments up to $3,600 for each qualifying child.

Read on for everything else in the stimulus law that could give parents and older adults more money this year. And in the meantime, here's how to track your stimulus check, how much money you should expect to receive, what to do if you haven't received your payment yet, and what we know so far about a fourth stimulus check

More people count as dependents

Under the plan, dependents of any age (including children, young adults and older adult relatives) are eligible for up to $1,400 each in stimulus payments. This money won't come in the form of their "own" check, however, but instead will be added to the household's total. Calculate your estimated share here.

An expanded $3,600 child tax credit

Parents can usually claim a CTC of up to $2,000 on their taxes for every child under age 17. The American Rescue Plan says families with children aged 17 and under receive a credit of $3,000, while those with children under the age of 6 receive a $3,600 credit. It also makes the credit fully refundable, removing both the dollar cap and earnings limit that currently prevents many low-income families with children from receiving the full credit, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Read more details about the child tax credit changes here, and when the IRS could start sending child tax credit payments. Here's how to calculate your CTC payment.

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You could be eligible for more tax breaks and credits than you realize.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Tax credits for child care, too

To make child care more affordable for families, the plan provides a child care tax credit for kids under age 13 -- a total of up to $4,000 for one child, or $8,000 for two or more children. The credit is refundable, and available to families making less than $125,000 per year. Those making between $125,000 and $400,000 receive a partial credit (find out what your adjusted gross income is here). The plan also calls on Congress to provide funding to keep child care centers open, and improve wages and benefits for child care workers.

Watch this: Stimulus check 3: How much money you'll get

Stimulus checks for adults over 65, including dependents

Older adults (including recipients of SSI or SSDI benefits) are eligible for a third stimulus check of up to $1,400, if they meet eligibility requirements. This includes older adults who are listed as dependents on someone else's taxes, though their share of stimulus money gets added to the household's total amount. (Find out all of the rules around stimulus checks for older adults.)

Expansion of the earned income tax credit

Designed to benefit people with lower incomes, this tax credit can reduce your taxable income and wages. The relief plan raises this credit for childless adults from about $530 to $1,500, and raises the income limit for the credit from $16,000 to $21,000. It also expands the eligible age range, eliminating the age cap for older workers. And if your earnings fall in 2021 due to the pandemic, you won't see your credit reduced. (Find out more about how to claim the earned income tax credit this year.) 

More funding for aging and disability services

The American Rescue Plan includes additional funds for aging and disability services programs, but it doesn't go into detail about where exactly that money goes. 

For more, find out how a third check could bring your family more money and how to track your check with the IRS.