Governor Walz announces advance payment option for state Child Tax Credit, first in U.S.
(ABC 6 News) – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced Wednesday that taxpayers who qualify for Minnesota’s Child Tax Credit will have the option to receive advance payments of the credit during the upcoming tax filing season, a press release said.
Minnesota is reportedly the first state in the U.S. to offer this.
In the release, officials said that over 223,000 tax returns claimed the new Child Tax Credit in 2023, for an average total credit of $1,242. According to Walz’s office, this credit put over $562 million into the budgets of Minnesota families this year.
“The goal of this nation-leading tax credit is to lower child poverty and provide tax relief for working class families in Minnesota. With the advance payment option, we’re making it easier for families to manage their annual household budget,” said Walz. “This new option will increase financial freedom and ensure families have the support they need all year long.”
If a taxpayer chooses the advance payment option during the upcoming filing season, they will receive their full Child Tax Credit for the current filing year, part of their following year credit in three advance payments sent in the second half of 2025, and the remaining part of the credit when filing their next income tax return, the release said.
“Minnesota’s Child Tax Credit has the chance to be a transformative program for hundreds of thousands of Minnesota families,” said Revenue Commissioner Paul Marquart. “Giving them the option to get a portion of next year’s credit in three installments will allow families to budget throughout the year instead of getting their refund in one lump sum when they file their taxes.”
According to Walz’s office, beginning with tax year 2023, taxpayers may qualify for a Child Tax Credit of $1,750 per qualifying child, with no limit on the number of children claimed.
Additionally, officials said this is a refundable credit, meaning they can receive a refund even if they do not owe tax. They must file an individual income tax return in order to claim the credit.