November 23, 2011 

REP. RYAN CELEBRATES NEW TAX CREDIT FOR WORKING FAMILIES

State Representative Kevin Ryan celebrated with advocates from across the state, including the governor and the Connecticut Association for Human Services, the implementation of Connecticut's Earned Income Tax Credit (CT-EITC) for working families.

It is estimated that at least 200,000 families will qualify for the credit across the state. Workers who earned under $50,000 who were raising children and single workers without children who earned less than $13,460 may qualify. The average CT-EITC payment will be approximately $540 and the maximum payment up to $1,700.

"This couldn't have come at a better time," said Rep. Ryan. "We have been working to get this credit included in the budget for the last few years, and finally, despite tough budget negotiations, we can bring some relief to our hard working families in the state."

The CT-EITC is expected to put about $108 million into the hands of working families in need. Combined with the federal EITC, this means at least $500 million to help state residents.

"I encourage workers to file their income tax early and ensure they inquire about CT-EITC. We have heard that many families miss the credit due to the lack of knowledge that it even exists," said Rep. Ryan. "There will be several organizations readily available to help poor families with their income tax filing free of charge, including the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) and many others."