As tax preparation season begins, some local officials want to make sure eligible Delawareans take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).
Congressman John Carney (D) joined Wilmington City officials Friday to launch the 11th annual Earned Income Tax Credit campaign.
Every year, nearly 20 percent of eligible Delawareans do not file for the EITC, which is available to families with three or more children who earn less than $45,000 per year and can be worth as much as $5,891 depending on family size and income.
This statewide campaign, coordinated statewide by the Nehemiah Gateway Community Development Corporation, aims to lower that percentage by educating Delawareans about the credit and providing other tax and financial literacy services.
Congressman Carney says The EITC campaign is one part of a network of volunteer tax services in the state that rank number two nationally for effectiveness. He credits that ranking in part to Governor Jack Markell‘s commitment to financial literacy.
“When (Markell) was state treasurer, he worked hard to set up with the community organizations like Nehemiah Gateway a statewide network of tax preparers, a campaign to promote the EITC," said Carney. "I think that is one of the reasons why we are second in the nation.”
A little less than a month ago, the EITC campaign was in danger of being scrapped during the debate in Congress over the so-called fiscal cliff. While some Republicans wanted to cut the program, Congressman Carney and fellow House Democrats fought to retain it.
“There was an accommodation agreement made around that," said Carney. "[The Democratic Caucus argued] programs like this help low income people and put money back into the communities to stimulate the economy.”
For more information on the EITC campaign and sites that offer free tax preparation, visit the Nehemiah Gateway Community Development Corporation website.
