The Brookings Institution released a report that reviewed the spatial distribution of the Earned Income Tax Credit in places that participated in the National Tax Assistance for Working Families Campaign. Findings include that across the sites, around 2 million families obtained more than $3.4 billion in EITC refunds in 2000. On average, the income of working families were increased by $1,700, or 13 percent. Additionally, in 1999, an estimated $212 million of EITC money was spent on paid tax preparers and refund anticipation loans across 27 of the sites.

This resource is a Brookings Institution report on the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). It concludes that State governments should consider building on the federal EITC through State tax codes; ensuring that more eligible families get the credit for free or pay a reasonable amount to do so; and revisiting policies that may discourage low-income families from saving refund dollars.

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Administration for Children and Families, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), in conjunction with the National Organization of Black County Officials (NOBCO) convened a two day workshop in Jackson, Mississippi, to disseminate information to county officials in a seven state area about the advantages of participating in the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program.

This paper summarizes findings from MAXIMUS studies about the awareness and use of the EITC among welfare recipients, leavers, and applicants. The findings are based on surveys conducted in five states: California, Illinois, New Mexico, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

This toolkit provides necessary information for employers to encourage their employees to apply for the Earned Income Tax Credit. It includes frequently asked questions about the EITC, information on how to run a campaign, and sample flyers for distribution.

This series of reports, as part of the Aspen Institute's Economic Opportunities Program and funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, explore various lessons learned from innovative approaches to EITC campaigns across the country. The series covers pilot projects, financial literacy in the workplace, connecting asset-building to Workforce Development One-Stops, market research and asset development strategies, partnering with commercial tax preparation firms, and using technology.

This article, through the Urban Institute, summarizes information on the Earned Income Tax Credit, a federal program that supplements wages to lift working people out of poverty. Although the Earned Income Tax Credit has been successful in bringing money back to low-income families, many people are unaware of the program or use paid tax preparers to file their returns. The use of paid tax preparers is problematic because it reduces the amount of tax refund to the family.

Authored by Alan Berube, William G. Gale, and Tracy Kornblatt, this paper examines federal tax policy in relation to building assets for low-income people in cities. Federal tax policy can play a significant role in the wellbeing of families in cities.

Through the Urban Institute, this article reviews information about the Child Tax Credit, which is the largest federal cash assistance program for children. The tax credit provides over $46 billion in subsidies to families with children every year. This paper examines the distribution of the CTC based on income and reviews disparities among race or ethnicity.

This article reviews principles and funding information for financial literacy programs for low-income individuals and outlines effective approaches to providing financial literacy.