Michigan Poverty Law Program

Special

Michigan Foreclosure Prevention Project is a collaborative statewide project involving several legal services programs. The Project will be comprised of attorneys from 7 major legal services programs who will work as a statewide foreclosure prevention unit. The goal of the Project is to provide comprehensive and coordinated foreclosure prevention advocacy throughout the state by 1) providing direct legal representation to homeowners facing foreclosure, 2) providing support to housing counseling organizations, 3) coordinating policy advocacy on a statewide basis, and 4) providing training and technical support. The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) will provide training and advocacy assistance.

As many of you know, I-CAN! E-File was created by the Legal Aid Society of Orange County (California) to allow individuals to file their taxes and claim Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) online, for free!  You can also claim the Michigan Home Heating and Homestead Property Tax Credits using I-CAN! E-File.  I-CAN! E-file allows individuals to file their Federal and Michigan taxes.  The program is written at a 5^th grade literacy level and can be accessed in English or in Spanish.

Unfortunately, it is estimated that as many as 25% of eligible workers fail to claim the EITC.  Please help us spread the word about the EITC and I-CAN! E-File so that all eligible workers can access this credit.

For 2008, low income wage earners can receive the following amounts in Federal EITC:

Families with one child who earn less than $33,995 in 2008 (or less than $36, 995 for married workers) are eligible for a credit of up to $2,917;

Families with two or more children who earn less than $38,646 in 2008 (or less than $41,646 for married workers) are eligible for a credit of up to $4,824;

Workers without a qualifying child who earn less than $12,880 in 2008 (or less than $15,880 for married workers) are eligible for a credit of up to $438.

In addition to the Federal EITC, we now have a Michigan EITC that is a piggyback credit equal to 10% of the Federal credit.

Anyone, regardless of income, is eligible to use I-CAN! E-file. The launch date for this year's I-CAN! E-File program is January 15, 2009.

We are continuing to partner with the Michigan Credit Union League and nearly 100 credit unions across the state will be letting their members know about EITC and I-CAN! E-file.

If you have any questions please let me know.  You can also get additional information at michiganeic.org

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