The COVID-19 public health crisis and resulting economic crisis have created a variety of challenges for families across the country, and changed the way we all live and work. The Treasury Department is providing critical assistance to individuals and their families, ensuring people have the opportunity to keep their families safe and thriving, at work and at home.
The Treasury Department, the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rapidly sent out three rounds of direct relief payments during the COVID-19 crisis, and payments from the third round continue to be disbursed to Americans.
The American Rescue Plan extended employment assistance, starting in March 2021, and waived some federal taxes on unemployment benefits to assist those who lost work due to the COVID-19 crisis.
The American Rescue Plan increased the Child Tax Credit and expanded its coverage to better assist families who care for children.
The Emergency Rental Assistance program makes funding available to government entities to assist households that are unable to pay rent or utilities.