The Initial Effects of the Expanded Child Tax Credit on Material Hardship

Parolin, Zachary; Ananat, Elizabeth Oltmans; Collyer, Sophie; Curran, Megan; Wimer, Christopher

doi:10.2139/ssrn.3931807

Cited by 11 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Research using Household Pulse Survey data found that the first monthly eCTC payments were associated with a 3.7-percentage point decline in food insufficiency among all households with children 15 and a 7.5-percentage point decline in food insufficiency among households with children earning less than $35 000/y. 24 A study using the Department of Agriculture's 18-item US Household Food Security Survey Module over the first 3 months of the eCTC also found a 7.1% decrease in the prevalence of families experiencing very low food security. 25 These earlier results are further supported by evidence that the majority of families used their monthly payments for basic household expenses like food, clothing, shelter, and utilities.…”

Section: Jama Health Forum | Original Investigationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food Insufficiency Following Discontinuation of Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments Among Lower-Income US Households

et al. 2022

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ImportanceThe 2021 expanded Child Tax Credit provided advance monthly payments to many US families with children from July through December 2021 and was associated with a reduction in food insufficiency. Less is known about the effect of the discontinuation of monthly payments.ObjectiveTo assess whether the discontinuation of monthly Child Tax Credit payments was associated with subsequent changes in food insufficiency among lower-income US households with children.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis population-based cross-sectional study used data from the Household Pulse Survey, a recurring online survey of US households conducted by the US Census Bureau, from January 2021 to March 2022. This study estimated difference-in-differences regression models for households making less than $50 000, less than $35 000, and less than $25 000 annually, adjusting for demographic characteristics and state of residence. The estimation sample of households making less than $50 000/y included 114 705 responses, representing a weighted population size of 27 342 296 households.ExposuresReceipt of monthly Child Tax Credit payments, as measured by living in a household with children during the period of monthly payments from July through December 2021.Main Outcomes and MeasuresHousehold food insufficiency, as measured by a respondent indicating that there was sometimes or often not enough food to eat in the household in the previous 7 days.ResultsAmong 114 705 households making less than $50 000/y, respondents were predominantly female (57%); White (71%); not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin (79%); had high school or equivalent education (38%); and were unmarried (70%). Following the discontinuation of monthly Child Tax Credit payments, food insufficiency in US households with children increased by 3.5 percentage points (95% CI, 1.4-5.7 percentage points) among households making less than $50 000/y, 4.9 percentage points (95% CI, 2.6-7.3 percentage points) among households making less than $35 000/y, and 6.2 percentage points (95% CI, 3.3-9.3 percentage points) among households making less than $25 000/y. These estimates represent a relative increase in food insufficiency of approximately 16.7% among households making less than $50 000/y, 20.8% among households making less than $35 000/y, and 23.2% among households making less than $25 000/y.Conclusions and RelevanceIn this population-based cross-sectional study, discontinuation of monthly Child Tax Credit payments in December 2021 was associated with a statistically significant increase in household food insufficiency among lower-income households, with the greatest increase occurring in the lowest-income households.

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Section: Jama Health Forum | Original Investigationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food Insufficiency Following Discontinuation of Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments Among Lower-Income US Households

et al. 2022

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“…59 Evidence of the effects of the 2021 CTC is still limited, but quasiexperimental studies have found that the temporary credit reduced food insecurity among families with children 60,61 and improved their ability to meet expenses. 62 Some evidence suggests that the CTC may have had beneficial effects on parental mental well-being, 63,64 whereas other studies find no effects. 65,66 Evidence from a similar benefit in Canada suggests that policies like these may have beneficial effects on maternal and child health.…”

Section: Cash Transfers Not Conditioned On Work: a Brief Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Child Poverty and Health: The Role of Income Support Policies

Pilkauskas

2023

Milbank Quarterly

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r Child poverty is associated with both short-and long-term health and well-being, and income support policies can be used to improve child health.r This article reviews the types of income support policies used in the United States and the evidence of the effectiveness of these policies in improving child health, highlighting areas for future research and policy considerations specific to income support policies. C hild poverty is associated with both short-and long-term health and well-being. 1,2 Poverty affects child health directly through the experience of deprivation, such as through food insufficiency or lack of housing, but also indirectly through the availability of parental or community resources. 3 Economic resources also shape children's access to health-promoting policies, like education, child care, parental leave, and health care, which affect both current and later-life health and mortality. Many income support policies also reduce poverty and improve economic well-being, which in turn improves child health. In this paper, I review the evidence on income support policies in the United States and their effects on child health. I focus on income support policies because there is a growing interest in considering how

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“…The advance CTC was more widely available to families with children than EIPs and was associated with positive outcomes. [46][47][48] Legislation to expand the advance the CTC and remove immigration exclusions and reduce barriers to access may provide a transformative opportunity to reduce disparities and advance equity among families with young children.…”

Section: Jama Health Forum | Original Investigationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association Between Material Hardship in Families With Young Children and Federal Relief Program Participation by Race and Ethnicity and Maternal Nativity

et al. 2023

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ImportanceEven brief periods of hardship during early childhood may have lifelong consequences. Prior cross-sectional research limited to respondents with English proficiency and internet access during the COVID-19 crisis documented families with young children that struggled to afford basic needs like food and rent. Few studies have examined experiences of families with young children by race and ethnicity and maternal nativity.ObjectiveTo examine the association of COVID-19 relief programs with the mitigation of household food insecurity among families with young children, as well as being behind on rent and disparities in program receipt.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis cohort study used data from the ongoing repeat cross-sectional Children’s HealthWatch study comprising families surveyed at baseline (January 1, 2018, to March 20, 2020) and during the COVID-19 crisis (September 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021). Baseline questionnaires were administered face to face to caregivers of children aged 48 months or younger in English or Spanish in emergency departments or primary care clinics in 5 US cities. The follow-up questionnaires were administered via telephone.ExposuresSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation or receipt of at least 1 Economic Impact Payment (EIP; ie, stimulus check) during the COVID-19 crisis.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcomes were household food insecurity (assessed via the US Household Food Security Survey Module: Six-Item Short Form) and being behind on rent. Logistic and binomial regression models were used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and unadjusted and adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs).ResultsOf 1396 caregiver-child dyads (20.3% response rate), race and ethnicity data were available for 1357 caregivers: 514 (37.9%) were Black, non-Latino; 558 (41.1%) were Latino; 230 (16.9%) were White, non-Latino; and 55 (4.1%) were of other non-Latino race or ethnicity. Among 1390 responses with nonmissing data, 417 children (30.0%) had an immigrant mother, and among 1388 responses, 1238 (33.5%) were publicly insured. During the crisis, 467 of 1395 respondents (33.5%) reported household food insecurity, and 567 of 1391 respondents (40.8%) reported being behind on rent. Families with immigrant mothers had lower odds of EIP and SNAP participation than families with US-born mothers (eg, aOR, 0.07 [95% CI, 0.05-0.12] for both EIP and SNAP vs neither), despite being more likely to report household food insecurity (adjusted PR [aPR], 1.48 [95% CI, 1.28-1.71]) and being behind on rent (aPR, 1.14 [95% CI, 1.00-1.30]). Families with Black (unadjusted PR [uPR], 1.40 [95% CI, 1.08-1.82]) or Latino (uPR, 1.54 [95% CI, 1.19-1.98]) caregivers or caregivers of other race and ethnicity (uPR, 1.67 [1.12-2.49]) were also more likely than families with White, non-Latino caregivers to experience household food insecurity or being behind on rent (families with Black caregivers: uPR, 2.02 [95% CI, 1.58-2.58]; families with Latino caregivers: 1.68 [95% CI, 1.30-2.16]; families with caregivers of other race or ethnicity: uPR, 1.94 [95% CI, 1.34-2.80]). Adjustment for covariates and differential participation in relief programs did not entirely account for these disparities.Conclusions and RelevanceThe results of this cohort study suggest that the COVID-19 crisis exacerbated preexisting inequities in food insecurity and difficulty paying rent according to race and ethnicity and maternal nativity and that equity-focused policy changes are needed to ensure that all children and their families in the US can afford basic needs for optimal health.

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The Initial Effects of the Expanded Child Tax Credit on Material Hardship

Cited by 11 publications

References 14 publications

Food Insufficiency Following Discontinuation of Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments Among Lower-Income US Households

Food Insufficiency Following Discontinuation of Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments Among Lower-Income US Households

Child Poverty and Health: The Role of Income Support Policies

Association Between Material Hardship in Families With Young Children and Federal Relief Program Participation by Race and Ethnicity and Maternal Nativity

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