The child tax credit was a lifeline. Now some families are falling back into poverty

In January, the first month without the deposits, 3.7 million children fell into poverty.

Sean Gallup / Sean Gallup

When Sarah Anderson lost both her jobs during the pandemic, the money dried up and the stress kicked in.

So the extra income from the expanded child tax credit was a lifesaver.

“The money wasn’t a replacement for that income, but it just helped keep everything afloat,” she said.