You have until August 14 to renew your $300-a-month childcare help through ACUDEN Contigo

Thousands of working families in Puerto Rico have a date circled in red: August 14, 2026 is the last day to renew their enrollment in ACUDEN Contigo, the program that reimburses up to $300 a month for each child's care and that has just entered its new fiscal year, from July 2026 to June 2027 ¹³. Anyone who fails to complete the renewal on time loses the benefit, even if they received it all of last year ¹.

The program, in context

ACUDEN Contigo was created to fill a real gap: many working mothers and fathers earn too much to qualify for federal childcare funds (Child Care), yet not enough to pay out of pocket for tuition that on the island can run between $400 and $700 a month per child. ACUDEN administrator Amy Vega Ojeda has acknowledged that "the cost of living is a challenge for many Puerto Rican families" ³. The program is funded with state money that Governor Jenniffer González Colón allocated to keep it alive for another year ².

The numbers you should know

The monthly reimbursement is $300 per child for regular daytime care and $150 for extended care, for children from newborns up to 12 years and 11 months old ¹³. To qualify, the parent or guardian must work a minimum of 35 hours a week, and gross annual family income cannot exceed $82,000 ³. The ranges vary by household: $32,000 to $65,000 for single-provider homes and $51,000 to $82,000 for married or cohabiting couples ³.

On top of that, this summer ACUDEN automatically deposited a $600-per-child supplemental payment to cover July and August, months that had been left uncovered when the program launched in September 2025 ¹. That disbursement, which began on June 19, represented an investment of $2.17 million and benefited roughly 3,600 children from 3,052 families ¹².

What it means for you

If you were already receiving the benefit, the $300 monthly check does not renew on its own: you have to act. Starting June 29, ACUDEN began emailing the renewal link to every active participant ¹. If you don't see the email, check your spam folder and confirm the agency has your correct address, because determinations are also sent by email ¹. For a family with two children in care, missing the deadline means losing up to $7,200 a year in help ($300 x 2 x 12 months). In a budget squeezed by electricity, groceries, and gas, that amount is the difference between being able to work with peace of mind or having to pull a child out of care.

How to do it / Checklist

1. Look for the renewal email. Check the inbox and spam folder of the account you registered; the link arrives from ACUDEN starting June 29 ¹.
2. Go to the official portal at acudencontigo.familia.pr.gov and complete the renewal application before August 14, 2026 ¹⁴. New cases are also filed through that same portal.
3. Have your documents ready: proof of income (recent pay stubs), your 2025 tax return, a sworn statement listing your weekly work hours, your marital status, and the enrollment certification from the childcare center where your child attends ¹³.
4. Confirm you work at least 35 hours a week and that your family income does not exceed $82,000; if your job or salary changed, update that information ³.
5. If you have questions, call. ACUDEN's service center answers at 787-724-7474, Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or email [email protected]. You can also dial the government's 3-1-1 line ⁴.
6. Save your confirmation number and wait for the determination by email. The approved benefit covers July 2026 through June 2027 ¹³.

What's next

Determinations will be sent by email once the renewal period closes, and payments for the new cycle will continue as a monthly reimbursement ³. ACUDEN has said it keeps accepting new applications year-round, so a family that wasn't participating before can enroll if it meets the requirements ². Because this is a state-funded program, its continuity depends on the budget the Legislature and La Fortaleza approve each year; that's why it pays not to miss any renewal window. Keep your contact information current with the agency and check the portal regularly, because the dates on these programs shift and missing one email can cost you the entire benefit.