This Partner Toolkit was developed by the IRS, and includes an array of useful EITC marketing tools, including templates, statistics, fact sheets, how-to tips, specialized products, and links to other helpful resources. The IRS also provides Media Pod casts in English and Spanish on EITC information.

Researchers at the University of Washington gave this presentation at the Eleventh Annual Welfare Research and Evaluation Conference that is sponsored through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation. This study used data from an ethnographic study of 40 families over 3 years, and it was found that most families experience a Marginal Tax Rate “event.”

This presentation was given by researchers at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and the Center for Social Development at the Eleventh Annual Welfare Research and Evaluation Conference that is sponsored through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation. The research questions included: 1. Does IDA program participation affect clearing old debts as preparation for applying for a home loan? and 2. Does IDA program participation affect rates of homeownership among those who enter the program as renters? Among the findings, IDAs appear to be effective in helping low-income families save for a home.

This report discusses the correlation between car ownership and work readiness.  The publication addresses car ownership and leverages it as an asset-building strategy for helping people move into the labor market and helping low-wage workers gain access to better paying opportunities. In addition, it provides profiles and experiences of seven car-ownership programs, along with a bibliography of additional publications on transportation and poverty.

For lower-income families, financial support from family and friends can be a crucial support during economic crisis. This report, from the Urban Institute, provides information on family and friends that gave financial help, and found that 39 percent of respondents gave financial help in the past 12 months.

The Urban Institute authored this article on determinants of asset building for families in the United States. Specifically, the report presents a conceptual framework for the determinants of saving and asset accumulation. Authors also provide policy-relevant recommendations to increase asset accumulation among families.

From the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, this issue brief provides facts on the economic security of women and men in the United States. Specifically, researchers found that Social Security is the most common source of income for seniors in the United States. This data is from a larger study in which authors provide information income sources, marital patterns, and living arrangements of older Americans across racial and ethnic groups.

Written by the Children’s Defense Fund, this policy brief highlights the fact that many low-income families are losing significant money by using their Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) towards Refund Anticipation Loans. According to the Internal Revenue Services, $3 billion from EITC benefits were used to fund Refund Anticipation Loans in Tax Year 2005.

The National EITC Outreach Partnership is made up of a variety of national organizations and federal government agencies that are focused around promoting Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) outreach, free tax preparation alternatives, and asset development strategies.

From the Urban Institute, this fact sheet provides an overview of how households cope with financial emergencies. For low-income families, asset building can often provide the necessary supports to help families deal with unforeseen expenses and remain economically stable. Authors review how households with incomes over $30,000 cope in financial emergency as compared to those with incomes below $30,000.