Working Tax Credits Advocacy Campaign 2017 #EITCAwarenessDay Communications Resources

EITC Awareness Day is Friday, January 27, 2017. As tax season kicks-off, this is an opportune day to lift up the Earned Income Tax Credit and the work you are doing to connect community members to the valuable credit through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program and/or MyFreeTaxes.

EITC Awareness Day is also a great time to advocate for opportunities to expand the EITC to ensure all working Americans can access the pro-work, anti-poverty impacts of the credit.

Below you will find:

Online Action Alert to use and promote A template blog A sample email you can send to VITA volunteers Sample social media posts Information on the IRS thunderclap social media campaign for EITC Awareness Day Supporting EITC Data from the IRS

Please feel free to customize this content with local data or stories. The highlighted text calls attention to areas you should review and adapt.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Megan Tracz (megan.tracz@uww.unitedway.org ) and Caitlin Carey (Caitlin.Carey@uww.unitedway.org).

Online Action Alert The online alert is here: https://www.unitedway.org/get-involved/take-action/stand-up-for-working-americans

Short Link: unitedway.co/2jXF0t7

Use #EITC #ExpandEITC #LiveUnited

Template EITC Awareness Day Blog Expanding Opportunity – Building Hope: EITC Awareness Day

When you finally land that job you’ve been hoping for, you don’t let anything get in your way—not even being homeless. Things had finally turned around for Jesse and he was grateful to be working at a production warehouse, but he still wasn’t able to afford an apartment. But when Jesse had his taxes prepared at United Way’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site, he found out that he’d be getting the Earned Income Tax Credit. He and his wife Juana used their return to move out of their car and into a home.

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) helps millions of workers like Jesse keep more of what they earn to pay for things like reliable transportation to get to work, housing, and food, and United Way helps people claim the EITC at

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1 Jesse and Juana

Working Tax Credits Advocacy Campaign 2017 #EITCAwarenessDay Communications Resources

tax time. Just last year, United Way of ______ and our partners, through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program and MyFreeTaxes.com, helped connect XXXX local people to $XXXXXX in tax refunds – money coming right back into our community and being spent at local businesses.

But we need your help in two ways:

1) Advocate to Expand the EITC. We know EITC works, yet some working Americans are excluded from the powerful, proven impacts of the EITC. In fact, about 7.5 million Americans are actually taxed into poverty largely because they are ineligible for the EITC or the EITC is too small. We can change that by raising our voices together – learn more and take action.

2) Spread the Word - Help family and friends connect to the EITC. One in five who are eligible for the EITC are leaving money on the table – money that can make a big difference in paying bills and putting food on the table. Anyone earning $64,000 or less in 2016 can do their taxes for free at MyFreeTaxes.com and can connect any credits for which they are eligible.

By connecting local community members like Jesse to existing resources and advocating to expand what works, you can make a difference today. Please join us and #LiveUnited.

Flash Alert to Encourage VITA Volunteers to #ExpandEITCAs a VITA volunteer, you know about the power of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) first-hand. Your efforts help connect thousands of people in our community to tax refunds that make all the difference in their financial stability and hope for the future.

As you know, the EITC is a powerful credit that helps working families keep more of what they earn to pay for the basics like transportation to get to work, housing and food. But currently, lower-income working Americans not raising children at home are eligible for little to no EITC. Young people age 21-24 are entirely ineligible. So while the EITC is one of the most effective tools we have to help working families keep their heads above water, it excludes millions of workers.

In honor of EITC Awareness Day on January 27th, we’re inviting you to join thousands across the country to urge Congress to #ExpandEITC.

Simply send a note to your Members of Congress, and share the action alert via social media. Thanks again for all you do, all tax season long!

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Working Tax Credits Advocacy Campaign 2017 #EITCAwarenessDay Communications Resources

Sample Social Media PostsTwitter (also look to retweet @UnitedWay blog post going live on 1/27)

Use this image with any of the sample tweets below

Figure 2

Happy #EITC Awareness Day! Take action to #ExpandEITC unitedway.co/2jXF0t7 #LIVEUNITED

The #EITC promotes work, lifts millions out of poverty & improves child health & academics. #LIVEUNITED

#ExpandEITC to help NUMBER workers in STATE put food on the table and gas in the car to get to work. unitedway.co/2k54YOA (open the link and plug in the # from PAGE 2 listed for your state)

@MemberofCongress: Please #ExpandEITC to help NUMBER of workers in STATE have a shot at a better life unitedway.co/2k54YOA

Join me in advocating to #ExpandEITC to help workers keep more of what they earn. unitedway.co/2jXF0t7 #LiveUnited

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Working Tax Credits Advocacy Campaign 2017 #EITCAwarenessDay Communications Resources

Or, use James’ story:

Figure 3

#ExpandEITC so more Americans can make ends meet, like James who used his while juggling school, work, and a newborn unitedway.co/2jXF0t7

This is James’ story http://bit.ly/2jOxiDM. Lets #ExpandEITC so we get more stories like James’

Connect Impact to Advocacy with these tweets

Keep more of what you earn by claiming the #EITC. File online for free http://myfreetaxes.com

1 in 5 who qualify for #EITC don’t claim it. Why leave $ on the table? #LIVEUNITED http://myfreetaxes.com

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Working Tax Credits Advocacy Campaign 2017 #EITCAwarenessDay Communications Resources

Facebook

Note: Check https://www.unitedway.org/blog on 1/27 for an EITC Awareness Day blog you can also share

[Use Figure 2] The EITC helps local workers keep more of what they earn to pay for things like childcare, groceries, and car repairs to get to work. United Way of NAME helps thousands of local families claim the EITC, pumping money back into local economies.  Yet, under current law, millions are largely excluded from the EITC and actually taxed into poverty. You can help change that. Join us unitedway.co/2jXF0t7

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The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) helps millions of workers like Jesse keep more of what they earn to pay for things like reliable transportation to get to work, housing, and food. Jesse was grateful to be working at a production warehouse, but he still wasn’t able to afford an apartment. But when Jesse had his taxes prepared at United Way’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site, he found out that he’d be getting the EITC. He and his wife Juana used their return to move out of their car and into a home.

Hardworking Americans should be able to make ends meet. Lets #ExpandEITC so that more workers like Jesse can keep more of what they earn. unitedway.co/2jXF0t7

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[Use Figure 3] “Before I started as a volunteer, I earned the EITC (last year). That year I had my first born son- Quinn. When I received the EITC, it helped A LOT. We were in a terrible situation. I was biking to school, my internship, my job, the grocery store, and finally back home in the dark. Being a full time student, having two part time jobs, and being a new father- is not a good thing when you’re on a bike. Having the EITC expanded my income enough to buy a car.”- James

Hardworking Americans should be able to make ends meet. Lets #ExpandEITC so that more workers like James can keep more of what they earn. unitedway.co/2jXF0t7

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Happy #EITC Awareness Day! Keep more of what you earn by connecting to the Earned Income Tax Credit. Individuals and households earning $64,000 or less can complete state and local taxes online for free. http://myfreetaxes.com

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Working Tax Credits Advocacy Campaign 2017 #EITCAwarenessDay Communications Resources

IRS EITC Awareness Day Thunderclap CampaignThe IRS is running a Thunderclap again this year – we encourage you to post your own social media (drawing from samples above) in addition to supporting the thunderclap.

To help commemorate this year’s 11th anniversary of EITC Awareness Day, the IRS is starting an online campaign to raise awareness of the Earned Income Tax Credit.

The IRS is using Thunderclap, a “crowd speaking” social media platform that allows people to support a tweet, Facebook or TUMBLR message all at the same time. Think of it as a massive flash mob on social media. It is completely safe and will automatically post exactly one message on your own social media account.

Here’s how to sign up for the IRS EITC Awareness Day Thunderclap:

1.)   Follow this link: https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/51984-eitc-awareness-day?locale=en 2.)   Click on Support with…  (Facebook/Twitter/Tumbler)3.)   Authorize Thunderclap to post this 1-time message to your social media platform by clicking on the “Add My Support” tab.  You will need to input your Social Media username and password.   

With 100 or more participants, the message will be set to go out on EITC Awareness Day, Friday, Jan. 27, 2017, at 11 a.m. EST. It will blast out automatically by each organization and person that backed the cause which in turn reaches every one of their friends, followers and beyond…all at the same time. Thunderclap will amplify the message throughout all social media. Please consider participating.

The IRS aims to flood Twitter, Facebook and TUMBLR with this message:

“#EITC Awareness Day. Is there extra money waiting for you? See if you qualify. #IRS http://thndr.me/7KKlPY”

…Thanks for taking action this #EITC Awareness Day

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Working Tax Credits Advocacy Campaign 2017 #EITCAwarenessDay Communications Resources

SUPPORTING DATA FROM THE IRSNationwide, as of June 2016, 26 million received about $65.6 billion in EITC.The average amount of EITC received nationwide was more than $2,482.

StateNumber of

EITC Claims

2016

Total EITC Amount

2016

Average EITC

Amount2016

Participation Rate By State Tax Year 2013

ALABAMA 498 K $1.4 B $2,825 81.9%

ALASKA 45 K $94.6 M $2,106 78.5%

ARIZONA 572 K $1.5 B $2,612 77.0%

ARKANSAS 295 K $785 M $2,660 81.6%

CALIFORNIA  3 M $7.3 B $2,409 75.4%

COLORADO 351 K $777 M $2,213 73.9%

CONNECTICUT 219 K $484 M $2,212 78.9%

DELAWARE 73 K $176 M $2,394 82.3%

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 53 K $124 M $2,337 72.2%

FLORIDA 2.1 M $5.2 B $2,534 83.4%

GEORGIA 1.1 M $3.0 B $2,800 80.8%

HAWAII 104 K $230 M $2,210 84.9%

IDAHO 130 K $304 M $2,341 80.1%

ILLINOIS 994 K $2.5 B $2,520 79.2%

INDIANA 544 K $1.3 B $2,429 82.8%

IOWA 206 K $470 M $2,279 79.6%

KANSAS 207 K $496 M $2,394 79.8%

KENTUCKY 397 K $968 M $2,436 81.1%

LOUISIANA 506 K $1.4 B $2,862 80.5%

MAINE 99 K $209 M $2,108 77.9%

MARYLAND 412 K $973 M $2,366 78.7%

MASSACHUSETTS 398 K $838 M $2,107 79.8%

MICHIGAN 788 K $2.0 B $2,488 82.0%

MINNESOTA 334 K $737 M $2,210 80.6%

MISSISSIPPI 378 K $1.1 B $2,917 84.7%

MISSOURI 500 K $1.2 B $2,459 80.0%

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Working Tax Credits Advocacy Campaign 2017 #EITCAwarenessDay Communications Resources

MONTANA 76 K $166 M $2,168 76.5%

NEBRASKA 132 K $313 M $2,361 78.1%

NEVADA 249 K $616 M $2,476 75.4%

NEW HAMPSHIRE 75 K $150 M $1,992 79.9%

NEW JERSEY 593 K $1.4 B $2,349 77.2%

NEW MEXICO 210 K $522 M $2,485 82.1%

NEW YORK 1.7 M $4.1 B $2,366 82.9%

NORTH CAROLINA 921 K $2.3 B $2,523 81.0%

NORTH DAKOTA 42 K $90 M $2,136 80.4%

OHIO 939 K $2.3 B $2,449 82.0%

OKLAHOMA 331 K $844 M $2,548 77.5%

OREGON 274 K $586 M $2,136 74.4%

PENNSYLVANIA 919 K $2.1 B $2,271 82.6%

RHODE ISLAND 82 K $190 M $2,305 81.3%

SOUTH CAROLINA 485 K $1.3 B $2,592 81.9%

SOUTH DAKOTA 61 K $137 M $2,249 84.6%

TENNESSEE 640 K $1.6 B $2,573 83.2%

TEXAS 2.6 M $7.1 B $2,749 79.5%

UTAH 188 K $444 M $2,357 76.3%

VERMONT 43 K $85 M $1,957 81.9%

VIRGINIA 606 K $1.4 B $2,352 81.1%

WASHINGTON 436 K $956 M $2,190 78.0%

WEST VIRGINIA 155 K $357 M $2,305 82.6%

WISCONSIN 376 K $849 M $2,256 78.8%

WYOMING 36 K $77 M $2,150 78.1%

INTERNATIONAL 20 K $43 M $2,208Sources:

Statistics for Tax Returns with EITC: https://www.eitc.irs.gov/EITC-Central/eitcstats EITC Participation Rates by State: https://www.eitc.irs.gov/EITC-Central/Participation-Rate

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