The Child Tax Credit Still Leaves Some Families Behind

The Child Tax Credit is designed to help families afford the increasingly high costs of raising children. This analysis explores how different types of families fare under the rules today, examining issues relating to eligibility, refundability, and child claiming rules that can keep families from getting the support they need. The stories in this post show the need for changes to the tax code to better reflect the realities of families today.

EITC Pre-Certification Would Hurt Millions of Families Without Much Gain

A provision in the Budget Reconciliation package would require precertification for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), delaying refunds and creating audit-like hurdles for millions of low-income families. The change targets those who earn the least, while leaving far larger sources of revenue—like wealthy individuals and corporations—untouched.