Philadelphia Promotes EITC Awareness Day
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Today is EITC Awareness Day. If you're wondering what EITC is -- that's why there's an awareness day.
City officials would like some 40,000 Philadelphians to learn more about it, so they can collect an estimated $100-million.
The EITC is the Earned Income Tax Credit. It's been around a long time -- since 1975. But the Revenue Department says thousands of Philadelphians never heard of it and don't know they can claim it on their taxes and receive up to $6,000 in refunds.
"This is serious money that people are owed and never receive for the simple reason, they just never applied," says Councilman Allan Domb.
Domb is among the city officials working with anti-poverty groups to get more people to apply. Sharmain Matlock-Turner of the Urban Affairs Coalition says it has the power to lift the working poor out of poverty:
"It put food on the table, gas for people to go to work, cash spent with local businesses, less debt, more savings and money to go to college."
The Coalition is doing free tax preparation through the April 18th deadline. You can get more information here.
To get help with your taxes, CLICK HERE.