Child Care Resources
How to find good quality child care
Child Care Aware can help you locate quality child care and child care resources in your community. Visit their web site at http://www.childcareaware.org or call 1-800-424-2246 to locate an organization that can assist you to find child care in your community.
In Montana visit http://www.montanachildcare.com/map.htm
Resources to help you choose quality child care
Child Care Aware publications contain useful information that can help you choose a quality child care program. These publications are available through the internet at http://childcareaware.org/en/tools/pubs/.
Topics include:
- Choosing quality child care
- Child care for infants and toddlers
- School-age child care
- Choosing quality child care for children with special needs
- Relatives caring for children while you work or go to school
Finding help to pay for child care
Child care assistance is available to eligible families through State agencies that administer Federal grants. Each state determines eligibility requirements for families within their
state. A list of state agencies can be found on the National
Child Care Information Center web site at http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/statedata/dirs/devfund.html. Contact the coordinating agency in your state directly for your eligibility information and how to apply for assistance. In some states, families can apply by telephone or mail. In many communities there also are child care resource and referral agencies that can provide information about how to apply for child care assistance. A list of child care resource and referral agencies is available from Child Care Aware. Visit their web site at http://www.childcareaware.org or call 1-800-424-2246 to locate an agency near you.
Families are able to select from a variety of authorized providers, including those sponsored by faith-based organizations that may engage in religious activities as part of the daily services they provide.
Qualifying for child care tax-credits
Information on tax credits from the federal government and
free tax help is provided below:
Eligibility for Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): Employedlow-income persons1—those earning less than $29,201/yr with one child or $33,178/yr with more than one child—are eligible for a credit of up to $2,506/yr. and $4,140/yr. respectively. You can get this credit in a lump sum at the end of year by filing form 1040 or 1040A along with "Schedule EIC." You can apply for this credit for up to 3 years back. Another way is to receive this credit throughout the year by increasing your take-home pay—you file form W-5 (EITC Advance Payment Certificate). Ask your employer or call the IRS 800 number for the W-5. Note: You can get an EITC payment even if you owe NO taxes.
Child Tax Credit: You can get a reduction of taxes owed (or a refund if you owe nothing) of up to $600 (depending upon your income) per each dependent child under 17 if you earn more than $10,350 by filing Form 8812 – “Additional Child Tax Credit.”
Child and Dependent Care Credit (CDCC) allows credit for 20%-30% (depending on income) of a family's child care expenses up to a certain limit. You would file the Form called “Child and Dependent Care Expenses.”
Call IRS's toll free number: 800-829-3676 for information on these three Tax Credit programs and the forms needed to apply for them. You can also visit IRS's website for information: http://www.irs.gov. Free help in preparing tax returns is available through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Site at 1-800-829-1040.
Information about tribal child care resources
Many Tribes have child care programs. To learn more about how to locate the Tribal child care program nearest you or to apply for assistance to help you pay for child care, contact the Tribal Child Care Grantee directly. To locate a list of Tribal Child Care Grantees, visit the following web site http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/tribal/grantees.html.
