Getting the Word Out About the EITC

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) lifts more children in working families out of poverty than any other federal program.  In 2012, it lifted 6.5 million people out of poverty — including about 3.3 million children.  Yet, the credit could help many more, and this week, the IRS is running an information campaign to help qualifying working families learn about the credit.

Each year, millions of workers eligible for the EITC — 21 percent of those eligible nationwide, according to a recent IRS estimate — don’t claim their credits.  Eligible workers might not claim the EITC because they don’t know they qualify, how to claim the credits, or where to find free tax filing assistance.

That’s why the IRS and its partners have designated tomorrow as the 8^th annual EITC Awareness Day, aimed at improving understanding about the EITC to ensure that all qualified workers claim and receive their credit.  CBPP also leads a complementary national information campaign each year with thousands of organizations, government agencies, and employers across the country to inform potentially eligible workers about the EITC.

Our updated Tax Credit Outreach website provides key resources for workers who may be eligible for the credit.

Visitors to the site will find:

• The basics about the EITC and the Child Tax Credit, and about available tax filing assistance;
• An EITC estimator;
• Outreach infographics illustrating the EITC’s value and free tax filing assistance;
• Outreach materials to help inform potentially eligible workers about the credits; and
• Links to relevant IRS forms and tax filing information.

Visitors also can sign up to receive a free copy of our EITC Outreach Kit, including color posters in English and Spanish and reproducible outreach materials.  They can use the guide to learn how to develop an effective outreach campaign.  The kit also provides basic facts about the credits and free tax filing assistance, and it explores the key elements of a successful campaign.