This resource is from the Urban Institute, and researchers use data from the 2007 Survey of Consumer Finances to analyze how families fare in times of economic and financial emergencies. Prior to the current recession, many families did not have resources to support them through unemployment or other financial times of struggle. In fact, one in three families was considered asset poor in 2007, and lower-income families are more vulnerable to financial emergencies.

The Tax Policy Center, which is a joint venture of the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution, authored this fact sheet on tax policies designed to support working families with children. Specifically, the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit (CTC), Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), and the dependent exemption support families with children. In 2009, a single mom (or dad) with two children can receive benefits up to about $7,500 — depending on income, age of the children, and where the children live. Due to the benefits of such policies, supporting low-income families in understanding and applying for these tax supports is important.

From the First Nations Development Institute, with funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, this resource was developed to help tribal leaders build EITC campaigns in their communities. Authors provide an overview of the EITC, how the EITC can help support tribal communities and families, strategies that can be implemented to promote EITC uptake for this population, a timeline for EITC campaign implementation, and additional resources to support tribal leaders.

The Brookings Institution authored this report on how the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) can be expanded to support families. The EITC can be an important tool for supporting working families with low-incomes, and delivers over $40 billion dollars a year in wage supplements to lower-income workers. It is estimated that more than four million people move out of poverty every year due to the EITC.

This resource is from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and offers information on State Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC). Currently, 24 States, including D.C., have implemented State EITC programs to complement the federal EITC refund for working families in their States. Authors provide information on what States are providing these programs and how State-focused programs can benefit families.

From the National Poverty Center at the University of Michigan, this publication examines the financial constraints and choices of low-income families and describes the ways in which they utilize financial services. Authors also offer policy recommendations to distribute financial services to this population. Low-income populations are more likely to be unbanked due to financial institutions requiring credit checks to open an account, and having high minimum account balances and high overdraft fees. Savings and asset accumulation can often be key to promoting economic self-sufficiency for this population, and it is important to extend financial services and education to low-income families.

This resource was authored by the Finance Project and provides information on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). ARRA offers a variety of funding streams that can be accessed by asset-building leaders, and this guide is designed to help stakeholders make the most of the economic stimulus legislation by highlighting 16 funding opportunities.

This was a session at the Urban Partnerships for Welfare Reform National Academy, which was held in Atlanta, Georgia. Representatives from Los Angeles and San Diego presented on strategies to increase EITC take up among their TANF participants.

This Webinar was part of the Rural Communities Initiative's Rural Economic Development Webinar series. This Webinar provided an overview of successful entrepreneurship/microenterprise strategies and small business development models in rural communities. Presenters offered suggestions and strategies for improving small business development that will provide career opportunities to rural TANF participants moving from welfare to work.

As the 2008 tax filing deadline is fast approaching and millions of families are struggling in the economic recession, this report, from the Children’s Defense Fund, found that low-income families lose billions of dollars each year to predatory commercial tax preparers and highlights the importance of tax credits for working families. In tax year 2006, low-income families lost $3.1 billion of their Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) benefits to high-interest, short-term loans, tax preparation fees, and other financial products issued by commercial tax preparers.