MARIA'S EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT (EITC) INITIATIVE
Our state is truly an amazing place to live and
work and for communities to thrive. However, the reality is that there are many working families who struggle day-to-day
to make ends meet. An October 2005 study by the Brookings Institute found that four of the twenty poorest cities in our country
are in California and more devastating is the fact that one in five children in our state lives in poverty. But there is
good news—there is help and something can be done to drastically change these statistics. There are resources and services
available that can be building blocks to a foundation for individuals and families in need. The Federal Earned Income Tax
Credit (EITC) is an economic benefit that can mean real money for so many hard working families across our state. As First
Lady of California, I want to help connect Californians to the EITC and I ask for your help in spreading the word about this
important resource. Here’s what you need to know . . .
The EITC is the nation’s largest resource for working families. It’s designed to make work pay for those at the
low end of the income scale. For those who claim it, it can bring up to $4,400 for those who need it most—working parents
with children. The EITC also provides families with the best opportunity to save each year.
Unfortunately, up to 650,000 Californians who are eligible for this federal tax credit don’t claim it, missing out on
almost a billion dollars in tax relief! California has one of the highest nonparticipation rates in the nation—this
needs to change.
I am thrilled to be working with great leaders across California on a statewide effort to connect working families with this
powerful resource as well as other key programs and services. Over the next four years, the EITC Initiative will focus on
significantly increasing the number of people who learn about and claim their EITC. Families will also learn about how they
can open-up a savings account and start on the path towards financial empowerment. The EITC not only helps working families
climb the economic ladder, it also helps put money back into our communities and state’s economy.
Together we can create that change that our communities are waiting for.
You can file your taxes and claim the Earned Income Tax Credit online for free by visiting www.icanefile.org/myrefund
For more information 888/3MYREFUND or 888/369-7338
Para más información y ser transferido a un sitio de servicio, por favor llame:
866/9MIDINERO o 866/964-3463
Upcoming Events
March 21 at 5:30 p.m. – Univsion's A Su Lado: First Lady Maria Shriver, in partnership with Univision, will promote
awareness of the EITC. Univision will host a live call center to answer questions from the public about this powerful resource.
Sacramento, Bakersfield, Los Angeles, Fresno and San Francisco stations will air it live. Check your local listings.
March 21 – EITC Event and Resource Fair in Compton.
Highlights of Maira's EITC Initiative
2007
On February 28, Maria Shriver visited Fresno for a second year in a row to connect families to the EITC -- and more than 1,000
people attended! 25 agencies set up booths at the event, providing various services and information. The Fresno County Employment
and Temporary Assistance was also there to provide Medi-Cal and other public benefits, while the Union Bank and Citibank were
there to provide financial literacy materials. There were a total of 179 tax filings completed at the event. 91 were completed
through the I-CAN! EITC program, for a total federal refund of $122,384 of which $61,157 was for Earned Income Tax Credit.
Santa Ana College was the first stop of a statewide EITC launch on February 7, 2007. Hundreds of families came out to the
resource fair, comprised of more than 70 organizations offering services and resources, including financial institutions educating
individuals on ways to save and strengthen assets for financial independence. Families and individuals who visited took advantage
of free tax preparation services and claimed over $125,000 in refunds—over $65,000 in the EITC refunds alone!
2006
By joining forces with Central California Legal Services and the Fresno County Economic Opportunity Commission on March 24,
2006, the first Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) event resulted in nearly $30,000 in EITC money refunded to working families
in need. This one-stop-shop event also provided families an opportunity to learn about and sign-up for other key services
or programs.
A second EITC event at the Southwest Senior Center in Santa Ana to encourage more families to sign-up for the EITC before
tax deadline. With the help of the New America Foundation, Legal Aid Society of Orange County, United Way and the City of
Santa Ana, many families were assisted, receiving a total of nearly $30,000 in EITC refunds.
The total combined refunds in EITC money for both the Fresno and Orange County events reached nearly $60,000 for California
working families.
