Gov. Sherrill announces website to help families access child tax credit

Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced the launch of SimpleFile, a free website designed to help lower-income New Jersey families quickly apply for the state’s Child Tax Credit. 

The site — developed through a partnership between the New Jersey Innovation Authority, the state Treasury’s Division of Taxation, and Code for America — will allow eligible families to claim the refundable credit in 15 minutes, Sherrill’s office said. Families with a child age 5 or younger in 2025 can apply in English or Spanish. 

“Helping more New Jersey families benefit from our state’s Child Tax Credit is one of the most direct ways we can make life more affordable, because every dollar matters for parents who need child care, groceries, clothes, and other essentials,” said Sherrill, a Democrat who took office in January. 

The rollout follows the Trump administration’s move to cancel the IRS’s Direct File program, a free tax-filing service Sherrill supported as a House member. 

The website also comes as the state’s Child Tax Credit is set to increase. Under the budget approved June 30, the credit will grow from up to $1,000 to $1,250 for eligible families. More than 200,000 families already claim the credit annually, state officials said, noting that SimpleFile is meant to reach the people who qualify but have not filed. 

In order to qualify for SimpleFile, someone must have been a full-year resident in 2025 and made less than $20,000 if filing with a spouse, or less than $10,000 if filing single, and is not required to file a full federal or state tax return. Filers who use Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers, or ITINs, can claim these benefits. 

Colorado also announced it would launch the SimpleFile tool this week.