EITC Awareness Day: Renewed bipartisan support for State expansion
Authors: Brian Rakovitis & Madeleine March-Meenagh Today marks the 16th annual Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) awareness day. On this day, the IRS calls upon organizations across the country to raise awareness about this crucial federal tax credit. As we bring attention to the federal EITC, we want to raise awareness about Michigan’s own state […]
Boosting Earned Income Tax Credits participation to combat poverty & build community
1 in 5 Michigan households aren’t claiming tax credits they’ve earned — but we can do something about it Authors: Brian Rakovitis and Madeleine March-Meenagh State and Federal Earned Income Tax Credits (EITCs) are important anti-poverty programs that provide financial relief to hard-working, low-income Michigan households. At an average EITC value of $2,461 per federal […]
Helping unbanked individuals receive their stimulus payments quickly
Stimulus payments are being issued, but for many unbanked individuals it could mean months of unnecessary delay before receiving their payment. By Sydney Lipton, junior policy associate and Brian Rakovitis, manager of financial empowerment initiatives The Federal government recently passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and is disbursing economic impact payments […]
Empowering Michigan communities: Immediate and long-term policy responses to COVID-19
We’ve seen the many ways that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected and altered our daily lives and business as we know it. The crisis is exposing the weaknesses in our social safety net like never before—and financially vulnerable households that were living paycheck-to-paycheck before the pandemic are especially at risk. There are immediate and long-term […]
Stimulus Checks: Low Income Households Will Miss out If They Haven’t Filed Income Taxes
For Immediate Release April 3, 2020 Contact: Ross Yednock 517. 485.3588 ext. 1946 | yednock@cedamichigan.org Families and individuals who typically are not required to file a tax return need to do so immediately in order to receive an economic impact payment LANSING— The federal government, as part of their Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security […]
Stimulus checks: Making sure low income households receive an economic impact payment
By now you have probably heard that the federal government, as part of their Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, plans to disburse economic impact payments (sometimes referred to as stimulus checks) to provide financial relief to individuals and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, requirements laid out by the federal government to receive […]
AmeriCorps State members provide resources and hope through SMTMD events
Across Michigan, 43% of households struggle to afford the basic necessities of housing, child care, food, technology, health care, and transportation. This data comes from the United Way’s ALICE Report, but CEDAM also hears this anecdotally from members around the state who are working hard to create affordable housing, increase child care options, and train […]
Michigan’s free tax filing programs get boost from the Consumers Energy Foundation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 10, 2019 Contact: Ross H. Yednock, Program Director, MEIC Yednock@cedamichigan.org | 517.485.3588 Michigan’s Free Tax Filing Programs Get Boost from the Consumers Energy Foundation $200,000 grant will help train volunteers to prepare taxes and ensure tens of thousands of Michigan taxpayers receive free income tax assistance services LANSING – Thanks to […]
Federal Tax Changes: What Should You Do If You Owe More Than Expected?
By Ross Yednock, MEIC Program Director There have been significant federal tax changes during the past few years that will impact hard working taxpayers across Michigan. One of those changes resulted in the delay of some refunds, while the most recent appears to yield smaller refunds. Changes as a result of the Tax Cuts and […]
It’s Tax Time—Here’s What You Should Know About the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
By Natalie Rogers, junior policy associate January 25, 2019, marked the 13th annual Earned Income Tax Credit Day. The federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a tax credit for low- to moderate-income Michigan families who work and pay payroll taxes. To claim it, a taxpayer must file a federal return. Individuals in Michigan who […]