City urges Detroiters to claim child & earned income tax credits before April 18 filing deadline

City urges Detroiters to claim child & earned income tax credits before April 18 filing deadline

• Detroiters received millions in tax credits through both programs last year
• Thousands of appointments still available for no-cost tax preparation
• Make an appointment for tax help today by calling 2-1-1 or going online at GetTheTaxFacts.org
• Link to video interview with no-cost tax preparation recipient below

DETROIT - The City of Detroit and our partners are reminding Detroiters to file their taxes now to claim their refunds. This year, with both the expanded Child Tax Credit and the increased refunds from the State of Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit, filing your taxes is even more important.

In most cases, you can have your taxes prepared for no-cost in Detroit through IRS-certified partner organizations Accounting Aid Society and Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency, and there are thousands of appointments still available.  Though “Tax Day” is Monday, April 18th, if you don’t owe taxes, there is no penalty to file after that date. There are opportunities for tax preparation in person, and virtually.

As a result of the City of Detroit’s annual EITC campaign, Detroiters have claimed $56 million more in EITC refunds each year on average. Prior to 2017, EITC-eligible Detroiters left an estimated $80 million of potential tax refunds unclaimed each year.

Through last year’s coordinated outreach in the City of Detroit, thousands of Detroit families were able to take advantage of the expanded Child Tax Credit. Many of these families received monthly payments of up to $300 per child. Families are eligible for an additional lump sum of up to $1,800 per child when they file their taxes in 2022, plus any of the monthly payments they may have missed up to $3,600 per child.  

Make an appointment for tax help today by calling 2-1-1 or going online at GetTheTaxFacts.org 

CHILD TAX CREDIT – Who is eligible:

If you have children under 18 in your home, you were eligible for monthly cash payments that began in July 2021 through the expanded Child Tax Credit, but you must file taxes in 2022 to receive the second half of your credit.

***If you received any Child Tax Credit payments last year, please make sure you have located your letter from the IRS detailing how much you received. You will need this letter to file your 2022 taxes and ensure you get the maximum allowed payment. If you don’t supply this letter with your tax filing, your 2022 payments could be withheld.

If you didn’t receive any monthly payments in 2021, it’s not too late to claim your full Child Tax Credit. You may be eligible even if you are not the child’s biological parent, do not usually file taxes or have low/no earnings.

EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT – Who is eligible:

The EITC is available to working families and individuals who meet certain income requirements. The amount of the refund depends on income, filing status, and number of qualifying children claimed on tax returns. For example, a single individual with no children who works and makes less than $21,430 could get back as much as $1,592. A married couple with three or more children who files a joint return, with a combined income of less than $57,414, could receive the maximum EITC of $7,132.

If you worked at all in 2021, you may be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit. The Earned Income Tax Credit provides extra income to workers with low to moderate incomes, up to $57,000. Changes to tax law mean that more workers are eligible now than ever before.

Make an appointment for tax help today by calling 2-1-1 or going online at GetTheTaxFacts.org.

Hear from Stephanie Brown, who had her taxes prepared by Accounting Aid Society:
Free tax prep recipient interview