Veterans Deserve Credit—and the Expanded Child Tax Credit

This Veterans Day, let’s give our veterans *all* the credit they deserve – and an expanded Child Tax Credit to support their kids.

Growing up in a military family, I was raised with an ethic of loyalty, commitment, and service to others.  My commitment to serve others, particularly our active duty and veteran community, has only grown since my service in the United States Air Force as an officer in The Judge Advocate General Corps. According to the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, the U.S. is home to about 19 million veterans. This Veterans Day, join me in honoring our service men and women, by helping them gain access to expanded tax credits, enabling them to keep more money in their pockets.  

The average salary for active-duty military is about $30,000 (slightly less than the average U.S. income after taxes). With rising prices, pressure on our supply chains and increased costs of pandemic life, every dollar counts. This year, some 5 million children with veteran or active-duty parents are eligible for a new or bigger Child Tax Credit, thanks to the American Rescue Plan’s expansions of the credit.

But our military family children — along with tens of millions of other children — will lose out after this year unless Congress extends those provisions. The stakes are especially high for the 1 million children in veteran and active-duty families who previously received only a partial credit or no credit, because their incomes were too low or they lacked earnings in the year. The full Child Tax Credit, or a portion of the credit, will end unless Congress extends the Rescue Plan provision making the full credit available to families with the lowest incomes.   

Join the fight to urge Congress to put into place policies and systems that provide equitable opportunities for Americans, particularly our veteran communities. Programs such as child care, affordable housing, broadband access, mental health services, tax credits for families, and workforce development are critical to ensure our communities can rebuild stronger and more equitably. 

Act now to help our communities recover and rebuild. United Way knows that when people and communities work together, the possibilities are endless.  For 135 years, United Way has been bringing communities together to serve the common interests of all, including our military and veteran families.  We can honor our veterans by ensuring that they and their families are financially secure.  We can do this by working to connect eligible families to the Child Tax Credit  and advocating for the expansions made this year to be extended. 

This Veterans Day (and throughout National Veterans and Military Families Month in November), please join me in helping to give credit where credit is due – to our veteran and active duty military service men and women who are eligible for the Child Tax Credit.