By Qiana Flores Torres

Twenty percent of eligible working families do not claim the earned income tax credit or EITC.

If you have constituents earning between $14,590 and $52,427 per year, chances are many of them are not claiming the federal earned income tax credit (ETIC) simply because they don’t know about it. They also might not know about free tax preparation services.

Individuals and families may claim this refundable tax credit if they have an income, meet the income limits set by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and file a tax return. Single people receive less than families and the largest EITC refunds can range from $496 to $6,143.

For many working families and individuals, their tax refund is the largest lump sum they receive all year. One way to ensure that your constituents get their full refund is to let them know about the EITC and free tax prep services.   

Here are some ways to get the word out:

• Talk About It. Let your constituents know that they must file a tax return to claim the EITC even if they aren’t required to file because of low earnings. Highlight this information in newsletters, email, social media and at town meetings. Check out the IRS outreach toolkit for marketing examples and more ideas.
• Find a Free Tax Preparation Site. There are more than 800 Volunteer Income Tax (VITA) sites in the U.S. These sites are staffed by trained IRS volunteers and provide free tax preparation for those eligible for the EITC. 
• Call the Press. Invite constituents and reporters to join you in a visit to a free tax prep site, perhaps on Jan. 30, National EITC Awareness day.
• Contact Employers. Ask major employers in your district to let their employees know about the EITC.

Twenty-five states have an EITC in addition to the federal credit. Learn more about it by visiting NCSL’s Working Families page.

Qiana Flores Torres is a policy associate with NCSL's Working Families Project.

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