Skip to main content
  • Experts
  • Events
  • Briefing Book
  • Resources
  • About
  • Contact
  • Support
  • Fiscal Facts
Twitter
Facebook
Logo Site
  • Topics
    • Individual Taxes
    • Business Taxes
    • Federal Budget and Economy
    • State and Local Issues
    • Campaigns, Proposals, and Reforms
  • TaxVox Blog
  • Research & Commentary
  • Laws & Proposals
  • Model Estimates
  • Statistics
  • Features
Research report

Shifting Child Tax Benefits in the TCJA Left Most Families About the Same

Analysis of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and Options to Benefit More Low- and Middle-Income Families with Children

Elaine Maag
August 16, 2019
Download PDFPrint
Share

Primary tasks

  • Overview(active tab)
  • Full Report

Abstract

This report analyzes the main provisions of the federal income tax code that provide benefits to families with children, comparing current law with what would be happening had the TCJA not been enacted, and discusses the TCJA’s implications for families of different income levels. On net, almost all families owe less tax now than they would have absent the TCJA. But for low- and middle-income families, the net benefit from the TCJA is often far lower than might be expected. For very low–income families, the benefit of the new tax law is as little as $75.

Policymakers could increase benefits for low-income families by (1) allowing the full $2,000 credit to be received as a refund; (2) phasing the credit in as soon as a person has earnings, rather than requiring that a parent has earned at least $2,500 as is the case under current law; (3) phasing in the credit more quickly than under current law; or (4) providing the full credit without any phase in.

Research Area

Campaigns, Proposals, and Reforms Current legislative proposals Federal Budget and Economy Economic effects of tax policy Individual Taxes Child tax credit (CTC)/Child and dependent care tax credit (CDCTC) Earned income tax credit (EITC) Income tax (individual) Tax compliance (individual) Tax credits (individual)
To reuse content from the Tax Policy Center, visit copyright.com, search for the publications, choose from a list of licenses, and complete the transaction.

Meet the Experts

  • Elaine Maag
    Senior Fellow, Research
Research report

New Evidence on The Effect of The TCJA On the Housing Market

Robert McClelland, Livia Mucciolo, Safia Sayed
March 30, 2022
  • Donate Today
  • Topics
  • TaxVox Blog
  • Research & Commentary
  • Laws & Proposals
  • Model Estimates
  • Statistics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Newsletters
Twitter
Facebook
  • © Urban Institute, Brookings Institution, and individual authors, 2022.