NY unemployment Child Tax Credit payment less than expected - anyone else shortchanged?

Yeah, mine was short too! Instead of $300 per kid I only got $150 each. I checked my payment history on the website and there's no explanation. I think it might be because we're in the second quarter of 2025 now, and they adjust the payment schedule? But shouldn't they notify us if they're changing payment amounts?

Omg thank you for confirming I'm not alone! Did you try calling them? I've been trying since 8am and keep getting the automated system. So frustrating!!

This happens every April. The Child Tax Credit payments through unemployment are quarterly advance payments, but the April-June quarter payment is always half of the normal amount because they're adjusting for tax withholding from the first quarter. It should return to normal in July. There should be an explanation in your payment history notes section if you look carefully.

Thank you so much! I didn't know it was quarterly. I wish they'd warn us before they just cut the amount. I'll check the notes section. Do you know if there's any way to request the other half? I'm really in a bind this month.

mine was short 2. total bs how they dont tell us anythign about these changes! i been counting on that money 4 rent. system is rigged against working families!!

If you're in a critical situation, you should contact the Hardship Exception unit. Log into your account, go to 'Messages', and select 'Hardship' from the dropdown. Explain your situation in detail, and they might be able to prioritize the remaining portion of your payment if you're facing eviction or utility shutoff.

After struggling with the same issue last year, I found that calling the special CTC line (not the main unemployment line) was the only way to get answers. But I could never get through until I tried Claimyr. It's a service that basically holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. Got through in 20 minutes instead of spending all day redialing. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE that shows how it works. Worth it when you're desperate for answers about missing money!

Thank you!! I'll try that service. At this point I'd do anything to get some answers. Did they explain why your payment was reduced when you finally got through?

Let me clarify this situation based on the 2025 NY unemployment CTC distribution guidelines: The April payment is intentionally reduced because it accounts for the tax reconciliation from the first quarter. The NYSDOL should have sent an email notification about this in late March, titled \

So this happens every year and people just forget about it? Seems like they should make these notices more obvious. My friend had her power shut off last year because of this exact situation!

I'm having the EXACT same issue!!! My payment was cut in half too, from $250 to $125 per child. I have THREE kids so that's a huge difference! I called and called yesterday but kept getting that stupid message saying call volume is too high. Has anyone actually gotten through to a person? I'm wondering if it's some kind of system glitch that they'll fix automatically?

I got through using Claimyr.com after trying for days on my own. The agent explained it's not a glitch - it's their normal April adjustment. But if you're really struggling, ask specifically for the

Update: I just checked my email and found that notification about the reduced April payment buried in my spam folder. It was sent March 22nd but my email filtered it out. They really should send these important notices through multiple channels - text, email, and in the portal itself. Not everyone checks their spam folder regularly.

Just checked and mine was in spam too! Thanks for the tip. Still frustrating they don't make this more obvious. I'm going to try that Claimyr service to talk to someone about the hardship acceleration option since my electric bill is already past due.

anyone else notice how this ALWAYS happens right when bills are due??? not a coincidence if u ask me!!! they do this on purpose to mess with us. same thing happened with my food stamps last month - reduced with NO WARNING

While the timing is frustrating, it's actually a fixed quarterly schedule established by the NY Legislature in the 2024 CTC Reform Act. It's not random or intentionally timed to cause hardship. The payment dates and amounts are published in January each year on the NYSDOL website under 'Benefit Schedules.'

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone! Used that Claimyr service and got a callback in about 30 minutes. The agent confirmed what everyone here said - April payments are always half because of tax adjustment. She helped me apply for the Hardship Acceleration which might get me the other half sooner, but it's not guaranteed. She also helped me find the payment schedule on the website so I can plan better for next time. Thanks everyone for your help! This forum saved my sanity today.

Glad you got through! For future reference, you can also set calendar reminders for these quarterly adjustments. The full 2025 CTC schedule for NY unemployment recipients is:\n- January: Full payment\n- April: Half payment (tax adjustment)\n- July: Full payment\n- October: Full payment\n\nBookmark the payment schedule page in your account to easily check it throughout the year.