Child tax credit check timeline: This is exactly when your payments will arrive

The countdown has begun. The IRS announced this week it will send its first child tax credit payment to eligible parents. This program will benefit roughly 88% of all US children and will total as much as $3,600 per qualified child (you can calculate your total here). The first payment will arrive July 15, but what about the rest? While the timeline is much clearer now, there will be a huge interruption between the last payment in 2021 and your final check for 2021 child tax credit. We’ll explain.

We’ll also walk you through the child tax credit payment details you’ll need to know, like how to correct errors and avoid getting overpaid (and having to return the money), how to opt out of monthly payments if you prefer to get a single lump sum, and how people who have 2021 newborns or shared child custody may or may not qualify.

While you’re here, there are some interesting ways to use your child tax credit money. For other money matters, here’s the latest on a fourth stimulus check, and how to file an IRS payment trace if your stimulus check or plus-up payment didn’t come. You should also learn how to claim up to $16,000 in child care expenses. This story has been updated with new information.

When will I get my first and last child tax credit checks?

The first child tax credit payments will start to arrive July 15 to all eligible households (make sure you understand the income limits). The first six payments will arrive monthly, targeting the same day of the month — though you may not receive it at the exact same time every month, especially if you get a paper check versus a direct deposit payment.

If the child tax credit payment date falls on a holiday or weekend — for example, Aug. 15 is a Sunday — it’s likely the payment will go out the following Monday. The checks will end in December, with your final sum coming next year. Here’s a rough schedule, and here’s how to calculate your check amount. See below for more details on checks for eligible children aged 18 through 24.