The City of Philadelphia's Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity (CEO) has launched its yearly "Claim Your Money PHL" campaign, a move that signals the city's effort to increase awareness and claim rates for tax credits owed to residents. This initiative provides free tax preparation and other support services to help Philadelphians access the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax Credit (CTC), and the new State Level Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit (WPTC). As reported by the city's announcement, the campaign emphasizes that residents are leaving money on the table, with over 40,000 not claiming their federal EITC each year.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker noted the significance of the funds belonging to the residents, insisting they "should not be left on the table." According to a statement made by the city's press release, “We want to see these credits working for our residents,” adding her gratitude to community partners assisting in the endeavor. With the federal EITC averaging $2,743 and potentially as high as $8,046, and the state WPTC offering 10 percent of their federal counterpart, up to a maximum of $805, the financial implications for eligible individuals and families can be considerable. Additionally, the CTC provides up to $2,200 per child for eligible parents or guardians.
The CEO's mission, along with partners like the Philadelphia Commerce Department, Ceiba, and others, is to ensure that professional tax help is not just free but also culturally sensitive, multilingual, and readily accessible. "Together with our Claim Your Money PHL campaign partners, we work tirelessly to remove every possible barrier between a resident or family and the money they are rightfully owed," Orlando Rendon, CEO's Executive Director, told the city's press release. More than a dozen physical locations, as well as virtual support options, have been made available for convenience.
Seeking to simplify tax filing, the CEO urges eligible Philadelphians to ensure they file by the April 15 tax deadline. For claiming EITC, individuals must have a valid Social Security number, be within certain age margins, or claim dependents if outside those margins, and have earned below specified income thresholds. As per the City of Philadelphia, the WPTC eligibility is automatically determined by qualification for the federal EITC. To be eligible for CTC, various family arrangements, including parents, guardians, grandparents, adoptive, and foster parents, are considered, as long as a child claimed as a dependent is under 17 and has a Social Security number. The CEO also highlights that neither EITC nor CTC repayments are required, and these funds will not affect eligibility for other benefits like SNAP or Medicaid.
