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The Effects of the 2021 Monthly Child Tax Credit on Child and Family Well-being: Evidence from New York City

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  • Collyer, Sophie
  • Gandhi, Jill
  • Garfinkel, Irwin
  • Ross, Schuyler
  • Waldfogel, Jane
  • Wimer, Christopher

Abstract

The temporary monthly Child Tax Credit implemented in 2021 had the potential to affect many aspects of child and family well-being, including poverty, hardship, use of food pantries, spending on child-related items, and parents’ mental health and employment. We assess these effects using data from two longitudinal studies of well-being in New York City. We find that the monthly CTC led to significant declines in the risk of facing material hardship, multiple hardships, running out of money, and using food pantries. We do not find evidence of significant changes in parents’ mental health, employment, or spending on childcare or enrichment activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Collyer, Sophie & Gandhi, Jill & Garfinkel, Irwin & Ross, Schuyler & Waldfogel, Jane & Wimer, Christopher, 2022. "The Effects of the 2021 Monthly Child Tax Credit on Child and Family Well-being: Evidence from New York City," SocArXiv rnmfv, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:rnmfv
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/rnmfv
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Zachary Parolin & Sophie Collyer & Megan Curran & Christoper Wimer, 2021. "Monthly Poverty Rates among Children after the Expansion of the Child Tax Credit," Poverty and Social Policy Brief 20412, Center on Poverty and Social Policy, Columbia University.
    2. Zachary Parolin & Sophie Collyer & Megan Curran, 2021. "Sixth Child Tax Credit Payment Kept 3.7 Million Children Out of Poverty in December," Poverty and Social Policy Brief 20416, Center on Poverty and Social Policy, Columbia University.
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    5. Lucie Schmidt & Lara Shore‐Sheppard & Tara Watson, 2023. "The Effect of Safety Net Generosity on Maternal Mental Health and Risky Health Behaviors," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(3), pages 706-736, June.
    6. Stabile, Mark & Baker, Michael & Messacar, Derek, 2021. "The Effects of Child Tax Benefits on Poverty and Labor Supply: Evidence from the Canada Child Benefit and Universal Child Care," CEPR Discussion Papers 15937, Centre for Economic Policy Research.
    7. Garfinkel, Irwin & Sariscsany, Laurel & Ananat, Elizabeth & Collyer, Sophie & Hartley, Robert P. & Wang, Buyi & Wimer, Christopher, 2022. "The Benefits and Costs of a Child Allowance," Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(3), pages 335-362, October.
    8. Coleman-Jensen, Alisha & Rabbitt, Matthew P & Gregory, Christian A & Singh, Anita, 2020. "Household Food Security in the United States in 2019," Economic Research Report 327207, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    9. Irwin Garfinkel & Laurel Sariscsany & Elizabeth Ananat & Sophie M. Collyer & Robert Paul Hartley & Buyi Wang & Christopher Wimer, 2022. "The Benefits and Costs of a U.S. Child Allowance," NBER Working Papers 29854, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    1. Ananat, Elizabeth & Glasner, Benjamin & Hamilton, Christal & Parolin, Zachary & Pignatti, Clemente, 2024. "Effects of the expanded Child Tax Credit on employment outcomes," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 238(C).
    2. Katherine A. Magnuson & Greg J. Duncan & Hirokazu Yoshikawa & Paul Y. Yoo & Sangdo Han & Lisa A. Gennetian & Sarah Halpern-Meekin & Nathan A. Fox & Kimberly G. Noble, 2025. "Effects of unconditional cash transfers on family processes and wellbeing among mothers with low incomes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-17, December.
    3. C. Ross Hatton & Janny Dinh & Adrija Chakrabarty & Shannon Frattaroli & Adam S. Levine & Keshia M. Pollack Porter & Erin R. Hager, 2025. "Caregiver Perceptions and Experiences of the Child Tax Credit Expansion: Evidence from Maryland," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 586-597, June.
    4. Trevor Memmott, 2025. "The impact of material hardship severity and frequency on health outcomes: Evidence from New York City," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 20(10), pages 1-16, October.
    5. Cha, Eunho & Lee, Jiwan & Tao, Stacie, 2023. "Impact of the expanded child tax credit and its expiration on adult psychological well-being," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 332(C).

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