About the Campaign

Connecting families to tax credits, public benefits, and ways to keep and grow their household incomes.

Free Tax Sites
During the 2008 tax season, the Campaign operates 16 free tax sites located throughout Philadelphia neighborhoods. These sites will open to the public the week of January 22, 2008. New at the tax sites is the opportunity for a "prepaid debit card" – customers can can accept their tax refund or direct deposit pay check. Fees are very low. It is an all-in-one financial tool whether you have a bank account or not. It’s a VISA card, it’s easy and flexible to use for purchases, money transfers and budgeting. You can still split your refund to spend some and save some.

The locations of the Campaign's free tax preparation sites and information on EITC eligibility are available on this website or by calling the Campaign's 24-hour information line at 215-686-2599. This phone line is in English and Spanish.

The Earned Income Tax Credit
EITC is a tax benefit for families and individuals who earned, in 2007, less than $39,783 (have children) or less than $14,590 (no children). EITC refunds can be up to $4,716 per year, based on family size and income.

For more than 30 years, the EITC has reduced the annual tax burden for low-income working families and emerged as America's largest and most effective anti-poverty program. In Philadelphia, an estimated 39,000 eligible households do not file EITC claims, leaving approximately $66.3 million in unclaimed credits.

The Brookings Institution reports that more than 41 percent of Philadelphia EITC filers used commercial tax preparers to obtain RALs. The interest paid on these loans can be as high as 700 percent – to provide cash only a few days before refunds would have arrived (and sometimes no sooner). According to the National Consumer Law Center Inc. and the Consumer Federation of America, nearly 9.6 million people took out RALs in 2005, costing them nearly $1 billion in fees.