Increase the Earned Income Tax Credit for workers without children
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) supplements low-wage workers' incomes. Most goes to workers with children (up to $7,000/year max). Workers without children get a maximum of $630/year with stricter income limits ($18,500 single, $25,500 married). A proposal would increase the maximum credit for workers without children from $630 to $1,300 and expand income eligibility limits.
Arguments For & Against
Pro Argument
EITC is one of the most successful anti-poverty programs because it encourages people to work by rewarding them for it. But while it has done a lot to reduce poverty for families with children, it's done little for workers who don't have children. Just because a worker at or near poverty has no children doesn't mean they are unworthy of help. A meaningful EITC benefit for workers without children would encourage more people to enter the labor force.
Con Argument
EITC was originally conceived for families and especially to benefit children. It is not the government's job to supplement the income of able-bodied working people without children. Furthermore, EITC already covers many single workers without children who are under the poverty line. This plan for extending EITC would end up covering people who are above the poverty line—it's an example of mission creep.
Source document: Low-Income-2025-Questionnaire-2.pdf
| Type | Organization | Date | Nat | Rep | Dem | Gap | Metric |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New PPC Survey (2026) | Program for Public Consultation | February 2026 | 77% | 73% | 82% | 9% | favor |
| New PPC Survey (2026) | Program for Public Consultation | February 2026 | 69% | 63% | 76% | 13% | favor |
| New PPC Survey (2026) | Program for Public Consultation | February 2026 | 81% | 77% | 89% | 12% | favor |
| Deliberative Survey | Program for Public Consultation | April 2025 | 69% | 63% | 75% | 12% | other |
Program for Public Consultation — February 2026
Raise the limit on the maximum amount of the EITC credit from $630 to $1,300 a year.
Program for Public Consultation — February 2026
Lower the age of eligibility from 25 to 21.
Program for Public Consultation — February 2026
Raise the limit on the amount of savings people can have and still get the EITC credit, for individuals from $18,500 to $24,000, for married couples from $25,500 to $33,000.