As rents increased in cities throughout the country, the monthly expanded child tax credit (CTC) payments helped many parents, such as Nikki Wall in Clarkdale, Arizona, shoulder the burden.
![Nikki Wall poses for a photo with her daughter Emma.]()
Nikki Wall, left, poses for a photo with her daughter Emma in June 2022. (Photo credit: Nikki Wall)
Nikki works two jobs to provide for her three children. When Nikki’s landlord raised her rent last year, the monthly CTC came just in time to help her afford higher housing costs. In her smaller town, the cost of living has increased drastically while wages have stagnated. But without the monthly CTC to rely on, Nikki’s 17-year-old daughter contributes income from her job to help with rent payments.
People like me that are working and trying hard to make ends meet should get the chance to live comfortably. I just want a fair chance. The rich will always be rich, the middle class keeps getting poorer.
Nikki Wall
Working families find their buying power reduced each year as wages stagnate and the cost of living climbs. If made permanent, the monthly CTC payments would provide financial security for working-class families.
Read more stories on economic justice and health care
This storybook features women in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and New Hampshire whose stories center on issues from prescription drug pricing and health insurance, to child care and paid leave.