Friday, January 28, 2022

Dear PSA Director,

The federal Earned Income Tax Credit has been expanded to reach American workers, many of whom are newly eligible and might not realize it. Each worker without kids could receive as much as $1,500, and workers with kids at home could receive up to $6,700; but they need to file their federal taxes by Monday, April 18 to get this income boost. At least 20% of eligible workers don’t claim this benefit each year – likely because they are unaware they qualify. With the federal expansion, this number could go up.

For the first time, workers 19-24 and 65 and older without kids at home now qualify for this tax credit, expanding eligibility to millions of additional workers nationwide. To qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), [Staters] must:

• Earn money from a job or certain disability benefits;
• Be 19 and 23 years old and not enrolled in school for more than 5 months in 2021 or be 24 years or older. There is an exception for homeless and former foster youth. Homeless and former foster youth can be 18 or older and enrolled as a student and still qualify for this credit;
• Make $27,380 or less without kids or $57,414 or less with kids in 2021; and
• Have a Social Security number for everyone listed on their tax return, including a  spouse or child.

The EITC expansion included in the American Rescue Plan last year will benefit more than 17 million workers in the U.S. The federal tax benefit is designed to increase earnings for low- to middle-income workers instead of taxing many of them into poverty. Greater income increases the ability to cover housing costs and other bills including food, health care, education and more.

Please help your listeners understand their eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit and the process for receiving their money by placing this PSA in heavy rotation between now and Friday, April 15, 2022.

Thank you in advance for your support.
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

:30 PSA SCRIPT

“WHAT WOULD YOU DO?”
VOICE 1; WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU HAD AN EXTRA FIFTEEN HUNDRED DOLLARS IN YOUR POCKET?
VOICE 2: HELP MOM WITH HER MEDICAL BILLS!
VOICE 3: CATCH UP ON RENT!!
VOICE 4: FIX MY CAR!
VOICE 2: BUT HOW’S THAT GONNA HAPPEN?
VOICE 1: FILE YOUR TAXES TO GET THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT. THIS YEAR, ADULTS 19 TO 23 WITHOUT KIDS, WHO ARE NOT IN SCHOOL AND ADULTS 65 AND UP WHO WORKED IN 2021 — COULD GET AN INCOME BOOST WITH THE E-I-T-C.
VISIT GET YOUR REFUND DOT ORG OR CALL 2-1-1 TO LEARN MORE.
A MESSAGE FROM THE CENTER ON BUDGET AND POLICY PRIORITIES.

SPANISH PSA:
TÍTULO: “¿QUÉ HARÍA USTED?” (0:30)
VOZ 1; ¿QUÉ HARÍA USTED SI TUVIERA MIL QUINIENTOS DÓLARES EXTRA EN SU BOLSILLO?
VOZ 2: ¡AYUDAR A MI MAMÁ CON SUS CUENTAS MÉDICAS!
VOZ 3: ¡PONERME AL DÍA CON EL ALQUILER!
VOZ 2: PERO, ¿CÓMO PODRÍA HACER ESO?
VOZ 1:  ESTE AÑO, LOS ADULTOS DE 19 A 23 AÑOS QUE NO TIENEN HIJOS Y QUE NO ESTÁN ESTUDIANDO, ASÍ COMO LOS ADULTOS DE 65 AÑOS O MÁS QUE TRABAJARON EN 2021, PODRÍAN OBTENER UN AUMENTO DE INGRESOS CON EL E-I-T-C.
VISITE GET YOUR REFUND PUNTO ORG O LLAME AL 2-1-1 PARA OBTENER INFORMACIÓN.
UN MENSAJE DEL CENTER ON BUDGET AND POLICY PRIORITIES.