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BOSTON (WWLP) — It has been 50 years since the earned income tax credit was first passed, and advocates are celebrating by looking for ways to make the tax break more inclusive.
When you file your taxes, you use your social security number. If you don’t have a social security number, like many legal and illegal immigrants, you file using your individual tax identification number (ITIN).
As of now, many tax breaks are not available to people using ITINs, or any member of their households. This includes the earned income tax credit that benefits low-income individuals, and especially those with children.
Advocates are working to expand the tax credit to include the primary black and brown communities that file with ITINs.