Annapolis, MD (January 31, 2008) - Participating alongside of federal, state and local organizations from across the country, Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot and members of the Maryland EIC Campaign today celebrated the second annual “National Earned Income Tax Credit Day” by reiterating their shared goal of raising awareness of this important anti-poverty tool as the 2008 tax filing season begins.
“The EITC is the most effective tax credit available to help lift people out of poverty,” said Comptroller Franchot. “Behind the numbers, there are parents and children receiving a better life in Maryland because of the Earned Income Tax Credit. But working families must apply for the credit in order to receive the benefit. I am grateful to work with partners such as the Maryland EIC Campaign to spread the word about the EITC and help provide free tax preparation services for those in need.”
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a significant tool for combating poverty and helping working families in Maryland move toward financial self-sufficiency. Nationally, EITC provides more than $40 billion per year to 22 million working families, lifting 4.4 million Americans out of poverty. In Maryland, the federal EITC brings over $600 million a year to 340,000 working families, and the state-level EITC adds another $150 million.
This credit distributes more money than either Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Food Stamps and, in combination with the smaller Child Tax Credit, is almost as much as both these programs combined. The EITC supports major public goals: welfare reform, community development, and workforce development initiatives.
“The EITC rewards work over welfare and provides the necessary additional income to help make entry-level jobs a viable alternative to welfare,” said Christopher Ross, Coordinator of the Maryland EIC Campaign.
The Maryland EIC Campaign is currently working to ensure that all eligible Marylanders know about the EITC and know how to claim it. A companion campaign - the Maryland CASH Campaign - works with local partners to run free tax preparation services for low- and moderate-income taxpayers, statewide.
Taxpayers, statewide, can get information about EITC eligibility and free tax prep site locations, by calling the United Way’s First Call for Help hotline, toll free at 1-800-492-0618, or by visiting www.marylandcash.org.
The Comptroller’s Office offers free tax preparation assistance for Maryland returns at each of its 12 branches offices throughout the state. Locations of offices can be found online at www.marylandtaxes.com. Taxpayers who have questions about their taxes can also contact a representative at 410-260-7980 or 1-800-MD-TAXES, or email their questions to taxhelp@comp.state.md.us.
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Contact:
Christopher Ross, Coordinator
Maryland EIC Campaign
Phone: 410-752-7588, ext 226
Warren Hansen
Comptroller's Office
Phone: 410-260-7082; Cell: 410-212-1475
