Material Listing

This toolkit provides the resources advocates and community leaders need to make sure families find out about state and federal tax credits for which they may be eligible.

This paper examines recent state tax policy proposals that will inevitably result in increased tax burdens on low-income families; considers the effect of federal and state Earned Income Tax Credits on parents who are court-ordered to pay child support; and calculates the impact of that policy on parents in four focus states.

In addition to linking to numerous tax forms, this information sheet covers questions such as:

• Can a survivor who is separated but not divorced claim the EIC?
• What if a survivor is unfamiliar with the tax filing process or has lost tax documents?
• Will claiming tax credits compromise a survivors privacy?

Helpful tips include: marketing tax programs together, letting people know in advance what services will be available at the VITA site, creating a setting that makes people feel comfortable applying for an array of benefits, and considering using a questionnaire to identify other benefits families would be interested in receiving.

This page from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities provides background information on the EITC, including who is eligible and work incentive features.