earned income tax credit

A Redesigned Earned Income Tax Credit Could Encourage Work by Childless Adults

The earned income tax credit (EITC) lifts millions of working families out of poverty, but provides little support to workers without children and some low-wage workers married to other low-wage workers. Congress could fix this flaw by scaling back the EITC and creating a new worker credit that is

May 20, 2015Elaine Maag

: TaxVox

Tax Season: It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over

The IRS and the ACA: Working hard and working well. The IRS, thanks to years of preparation since the Affordable Care Act became law in 2010, has managed the current tax filing season smoothly, according to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen , even with new ACA burdens and IRS budget cutbacks . “It's

April 13, 2015Renu Zaretsky

: TaxVox

Credits, Collections and Refunds

The Department of Homeland Security didn’t shut down, but… fallout remains over the President Obama’s executive orders on immigration and their effect on low-income tax breaks. Senate Finance Committee Chair Orrin Hatch wants the Administration to say how many immigrants protected from deportation

March 11, 2015Renu Zaretsky

Federal Budget and Economy: TaxVox

Will Immigrants Get A Tax Windfall From Refundable Credits?

In the end-of-the-year congressional scramble, lawmakers scuttled an effort to permanently extend a number of tax breaks—largely because many feared it would open the door to widespread use of refundable tax credits by undocumented immigrants covered by President Obama’s recent executive order. But

December 12, 2014Elaine Maag

: TaxVox

Congress Is Back with Much To Do and Consider

On the Hill this week: The House may vote to make bonus depreciation permanent . The Senate Finance Committee may present a transportation funding plan reflecting a compromise with the House Ways and Means Committee. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has scheduled a hearing on

July 7, 2014Renu Zaretsky

Campaigns, Proposals, and Reforms: TaxVox

Mike Lee’s Tax Plan: An Intriguing Idea That Would Add $2.4 Trillion to the Deficit

An ambitious tax reform plan proposed by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) would provide generous new tax credits for families with children and repeal the Alternative...

March 12, 2014Howard Gleckman

State and Local Issues: TaxVox

Variation in EITC Take-up, County by County

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is one of our nation’s most effective anti-poverty policies, bringing 10.1 million families out of poverty in 2012 ...

January 31, 2014Benjamin H. Harris

Individual Taxes: TaxVox

Taxes: A Big Gun In The War on Poverty

When Lyndon Johnson declared his War on Poverty 50 years ago this month, he could not have imagined how many battles would be fought through...

January 16, 2014Howard Gleckman

Individual Taxes: TaxVox

Do Low-Income Taxpayers Cheat?

My blog last Tuesday on overblown concerns about people falsely claiming subsides under the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges generated a lot of response. Much...

July 18, 2013Howard Gleckman

Individual Taxes: TaxVox

Earned Income Tax Awareness Day

As tax filing season approaches, the IRS is reminding low-income families about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC provides a wage subsidy for...

January 25, 2013Elaine Maag