The California EITC: Know It. Earn It. Get It.
Common Sense Kids Action is excited about California's CalEITC4ME as it aims to ensure that eligible Californians know about, earn, and get the state EITC.
The Common Sense Kids Action team was thrilled when the California Legislature and Governor Jerry Brown created the California Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) earlier this year. So when the CalEITC4ME campaign launched this month, we couldn't wait to share the news!
The state EITC, offered alongside the federal EITC, is a cash-back tax credit available to qualifying low- and moderate-income working individuals and families. Evidence from the federal EITC shows that it helps recipients improve their economic stability and that kids from recipient families perform better in school.
One of the major challenges is making sure that everyone who is eligible for the federal credit and the new California tax credit receives them. In 2012, Californians left $1.8 billion of federal EITC payments unclaimed. Additionally, many of the families and individuals eligible for the California credit are not required to file taxes based on their income but must file to receive the credit.
That's where CalEITC4ME comes in. It was created to spread awareness about the California EITC so that the state's estimated 600,000 eligible families file to receive the state credit and that even more receive the federal credit. It also helps connect families to free community services for tax preparation.
CalEITC4Me.org offers the following resources in multiple languages:
- Eligibility information
- A calculator to estimate refund amounts
- A free tax-prep finder to connect families to local free tax-preparation services
- Volunteer program information for tax-preparation assistance
- A heat map that allows nonprofits and government agencies to identify key regions of eligible filers
Common Sense Kids Action is proud to stand with CalEITC4ME as it aims to ensure that eligible Californians know about, earn, and get the state EITC.
The Common Sense Kids Action team was thrilled when the California Legislature and Governor Jerry Brown created the California Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) earlier this year. So when the CalEITC4ME campaign launched this month, we couldn't wait to share the news!
The state EITC, offered alongside the federal EITC, is a cash-back tax credit available to qualifying low- and moderate-income working individuals and families. Evidence from the federal EITC shows that it helps recipients improve their economic stability and that kids from recipient families perform better in school.
One of the major challenges is making sure that everyone who is eligible for the federal credit and the new California tax credit receives them. In 2012, Californians left $1.8 billion of federal EITC payments unclaimed. Additionally, many of the families and individuals eligible for the California credit are not required to file taxes based on their income but must file to receive the credit.
That's where CalEITC4ME comes in. It was created to spread awareness about the California EITC so that the state's estimated 600,000 eligible families file to receive the state credit and that even more receive the federal credit. It also helps connect families to free community services for tax preparation.
CalEITC4Me.org offers the following resources in multiple languages:
- Eligibility information
- A calculator to estimate refund amounts
- A free tax-prep finder to connect families to local free tax-preparation services
- Volunteer program information for tax-preparation assistance
- A heat map that allows nonprofits and government agencies to identify key regions of eligible filers
Common Sense Kids Action is proud to stand with CalEITC4ME as it aims to ensure that eligible Californians know about, earn, and get the state EITC.
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