Tell us about The Rockefeller Foundation’s Equity and Economic Opportunity Initiative. How does investment in the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) advance the goals of this program? Using the tools of policy, data, technology, science, innovative finance, and the power of convening to identify and scale up solutions to address…
A new report by Jesse Rothstein from IRLE at UC Berkeley and Ben Zipperer of the Economic Policy Institute shows that the EITC and the minimum wage are complementary policies that, in many cases, may be more effective together than either is on its own. “Policy discussions often treat EITC expansion and raising the minimum…
The 2020 tax season is underway, and advocates from the National Consumer Law Center have issued their annual advisory on taxpayer consumer protection issues including tax-time financial products, the lack of upfront pricing for tax preparation services, and private debt collection. “Tax time is such a challenge for low-income and other vulnerable taxpayers,” said Michael…
A new report lays out the findings from research conducted by Prosperity Now, the Social Policy Institute at Washington University and SaverLife (formerly EARN) on the behaviors and outcomes related to savings and the financial-wellbeing of LMI tax filers. Key takeaways from this research include: Low-and-moderate income tax filers are saving at higher rates than…
On February 24th, the “public charge” regulation – which essentially institutes a wealth test on the immigration system – took effect. Litigation is proceeding in the lower courts, but in the meantime, the regulations are continuing to sow fear and confusion in immigrant communities, harming the health, nutrition, and housing of immigrant families nationwide. The Protecting Immigrant…
The EITC Funders Network held its annual policy webinar on March 3rd, 2020. 2019 was a big year for state tax credit wins, with state expansions that supplement the federal EITC’s well-documented two-generation benefits and help build a path to improving racial and gender equity. On the federal level, the passage of the VITA Permanence…
Each year, the IRS and national partners join in a coordination outreach effort to increase tax credit eligibility awareness. The 14th annual EITC Awareness Day is Friday, January 31st, 2020! The IRS estimates that 1 in 5 eligible taxpayers does not claim the EITC. EITC Awareness Day helps shine a spotlight on refundable credits to…
Tell us about Tax Justice is Gender Justice, the new series of reports on achieving gender and racial equity by harnessing the power of the U.S. Tax Code. How does this work fit into the National Women’s Law Center’s mission? Taxes play a fundamental and underappreciated role in women’s economic security. The tax code funds our…
In October, federal courts blocked the Trump Administration’s “public charge” regulation from taking effect. The injunction keeps current rules for applicants seeking permanent residency or a non-immigrant visa in effect while litigation continues. The chilling effect of the rule’s threat, however, is a continuing concern, and fear of the repercussions of applying for public benefits…
Last Spring, Propublica reported that the IRS audits low-income taxpayers at approximately the same rate as it audits the wealthiest 1 percent of taxpayers. A follow-up article notes that the agency cites inadequate funding as the barrier to enacting changes. According to the article, steady cuts have left the IRS’ current enforcement budget 25 percent…