LANSING, Mich. — A potential increase in the child tax credit could bring financial relief to families across Mid-Michigan neighborhoods, depending on what happens next in Washington.
- The Senate passed a bill that would increase the child tax credit to $2,200 starting in 2025.
- The legislation would also ensure the credit increases with inflation in future years.
- One parent says the increase would help offset rising costs of raising children.
Holly Wilkes knows better than most what it takes to raise children in today's economy.
WATCH: What does a child tax credit increase look like?
"We started doing foster care, we said no babies and no teenagers and we would never adopt. We started with a baby and we adopted him," Wilkes said.
After years of fostering and adopting, Wilkes and her husband now have 10 children at home.
"That's the whole gang there," Wilkes said.
Wilkes tells me it's one thing to raise children in today's economy, but it's another to raise ten.
"With us it's not just a pound of hamburger meat, it's four or five pounds of meat and all the sides," Wilkes said.
Tuesday afternoon, President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" passed in the Senate after a tie broken by Vice President JD Vance.
"With the senate being evenly divided, the Vice President votes in the affirmative, the bill as amended is passed," announced Vice President JD Vance.
The legislation includes what would be an expansion of the child tax credit.
Currently, the most money parents can receive from the child tax credit is $2,000 per child, per year. But starting in 2026, unless Congress acts, that amount will decrease to $1,000.
The Senate's new plan would keep the maximum credit at $2,200 starting in 2025 and would also ensure it increases with inflation each year after that.
For neighbors like Wilkes, she believes this change will help families like hers.
"It would definitely be beneficial if it raises with inflation because the cost of living has gone up so much," Wilkes said.
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