The Michigan State
University Extension
Earned Income Tax Credit
Statewide
Learning Demonstration
Initiative
7/1/2016
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Introduction
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7/1/2016
Share a strategy for delivering income
support through partnerships focused on
building financial security of low wage
earners
Spark dialogue among participants on
such a strategy
I am Susan Cocciarelli, CED Specialist
with MSUE and MSU CUA; also the
Project Director and Supervisor of the
VISTA support component
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Topics of Discussion
7/1/2016
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Asset development through
income supports
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EITC: Methods for achieving
these income supports
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Methods for growing income
support
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Topic One
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7/1/2016
Asset development through
income supports
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Access to and use of good financial
information and good financial services
(not just availability)
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Incentives to continue earning an income
and saving a portion to get ahead
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Support or affordable mechanisms that
allow you to keep what you earn
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Topic Two
• EITC: Methods for achieving
these income supports
Setting up sites
Advertising to the right population
Ensuring that tax preparation
assistance is trained to file for all
credits
Maintaining a competitive edge
with for-profit tax prep. services
7/1/2016
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Topic Three
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Methods for growing income
support
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7/1/2016
Connect with affordable financial services
before filing
Integrate financial education and tax filing
into job readiness activity
Explore existing public mechanisms which
encourage savings and even have match
incentives – and encourage low wage
earners to participate
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Real Life
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Capitol Area Michigan Works!
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Michigan Education Savings Program
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Example of an incentive based education
savings program
MSU-E EITC Learning Demonstration
Initiative
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7/1/2016
Lessons learned so far...
Combining EITC sites with opportunities
for savings mobilization
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Capitol Area Michigan
Works- EITC Pilot
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Strengths:
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Have existing credit union staff on site
Have target population for EITC
Has motivational approach
Has the technology
Have the organizational capacity
Areas for improvement:
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7/1/2016
Scheduling and site management
Recruiting low wage earners vs TANF
eligible
Planning ahead of time
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What This Means
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7/1/2016
Focus on efficient and proven
ways that allow people to earn
money, keep it, and save it to
create buffer from economic
downturn
Great policy discussions about the
use of public funds as investment
vehicles for low wage earners ...
and extent to which it maintains
stability of employment
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Next Steps
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7/1/2016
What are your thoughts about how
this might fit into what you are
doing?
Are people interested in following
up through on-going conversation
beyond this conference?
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