The other tax relief story

While tax relief issues are soaking up a gazillion columns of media ink and jamming the airwaves, I’d like to use this small space to tell you a quiet-side tax story – and solicit your help in spreading it.

This tax season millions of low-income working families will pull themselves up over the poverty line by claiming the Earned Income Credit (EIC or EITC). This is a refundable credit, which can put up to $4,300 into the pocket, or bank account, of a low-income worker with children. But here’s the rub – and the challenge. An estimated 15 percent of taxpayers who are eligible to receive this credit leave this money on the table. This adds up to billions of unclaimed dollars.

Why would so many people who so desperately need this extra income pass it up? We don’t know for sure, but here are some theories about who might be missing out:

. Those who are new to the work force – young workers and single or recently divorced parents who are entering the work force for the first time or after a period of working in the home;

. Relative caretakers – aunts, uncles and grand-parents – caring for their nieces, nephews and grandchildren;

. Laid-off workers, who might be eligible for the first time this year because of their loss of income

during 2004;

. Documented immigrant workers who lack experience in dealing with our

tax system;

. Taxpayers without children, who can still claim a reduced credit – up to $390;

. Taxpayers whose earnings are so low that they are not required to file but who would benefit from filing, in order to claim the EIC.

And among those who are already claiming the EIC, most are handing over a significant percentage of their refund and credit to services like “refund anticipation loans,” also called “quick refunds” or “rapid refunds.” While many of these commercial services may be convenient, and look attractive, the rates can be usurious.

A typical rate charged to a taxpayer for a rapid refund is 178 percent APR! Although commercial preparers provide a valuable service to middle and upper income taxpayers, the lowest- income workers need every penny they earn, and then some. They can ill-afford the costly promise of an instant payment.

This past Christmas my daughter wanted to join up with a local church to participate in their Christmas Angels program. Although this involved several extra shopping trips during the mall-madness season, I wanted to support her philanthropic efforts, as any mother would. And dozens in our small community did the same, as did many others

all over the country.

So here’s my it-takes-a-village pitch. Yes, even in tax matters, this community-oriented approach can work. What if all of us do-gooders rallied around the EIC to help those same “needy families” boost their 2005 income by a few thousand dollars? With this new-found income, those same struggling parents might enjoy the pleasure of picking out Johnny’s snowsuit and mittens themselves next Christmas – and have several thousand dollars left over, to put toward the down payment on a house, ward off creditors, keep the electricity on for a few more months, or start saving to send Johnny to community college.

Do you get my point? While helping a family at Christmastime is a good way to spread cheer, connecting the same family with a free tax service and their full EIC could yield a ten-fold return.

In many communities around Maine, folks are getting this picture. And the infrastructure – at least part of it – is built. Here’s what is missing. To get the remaining money into the pockets of low-income workers, we need a grass-roots rally. Here are a few ideas to spur your imagination:

1. Steer low-income taxpayers to free tax preparation services, so they won’t end up paying a chunk of their EIC to a commercial preparer, and won’t fall victim to the costly “rapid refund” lure. The IRS sponsors Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), and the AARP sponsors similar free tax preparation in many sites around the state. Better yet, if you have some time on your hands, contact the IRS or AARP about starting up a site in your area, or volunteering at an existing site. They will provide the training. For taxpayers who are less intimidated by tax forms and have internet access, there are free online

filing options. For a list of these resources and contact information, go to www.ptla.org/taxpayer/taxtips.htm

2. Get a free EIC and Child Tax Credit (CTC) outreach kit. It contains everything you need to know about these credits and more. It includes posters, fliers, envelope stuffers and many other tools you can use to spread the word about the credits and free tax filing options. Order from: Center for Budget and Policy Priorities: center@cbpp.org

3. Ask Pine Tree Legal Assistance to give a workshop for your employees or community group – to learn more about the credits and to develop an outreach game plan.

Here’s a call to employers, town officials, social services workers, community organizers, philanthropic club members, labor advocates, state legislators … the governor. Yes, John, you could hold a press conference on the EIC and reporters would come. Or perhaps you don’t have the Blaine House kind of influence but could inform a co-worker, a relative or a neighbor that the EIC is out there, just waiting for him to claim it.

Kathleen Caldwell is the statewide community education coordinator for Pine Tree Legal Assistance. For more information, contact her at 942-8241 or kcaldwell@ptla.org