Family Tax Credits

Every year, millions of families fail to claim federal and state tax credits for which they are eligible, leaving billions of dollars unclaimed.

These credits include the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and Child and Dependent Care Credit, as well as similar state credits. These family tax credits can lower the income taxes that families must pay and, in some cases, give cash refunds to families whose incomes are too low to owe taxes.

These valuable credits can provide significant financial help to low- and moderate-income families in paying for child care or other important needs - but only if families are informed of the credits and claim them on their tax returns.

Community advocates and service providers have a unique opportunity to educate families about these benefits. Whether they e-mail materials to their contacts, make fliers available to parents, post information on their websites, or get the word out through the media, advocates' and providers' efforts can make a difference in the lives of hard-pressed families.

Parents can also learn how to claim these tax credits for their families by downloading the resources available from the National Women's Law Center's Tax Credits Outreach Campaign.

To learn more about the Center’s family tax credits work and view additional resources, visit our website.