How to make the child tax credit more accessible

Families that don’t file taxes have struggled to access the child tax credit. A more automatic program could help them out.

The first of the 2021 child tax credits hit parents’ bank accounts in July — but not for everyone. For many of the parents who need it most, accessing the money may be more of a struggle.

That’s because the IRS — an agency that knows little about the lowest-income Americans, who often don’t file taxes — has been tasked with distributing the money, up to $300 per month per...