Fellows mentioned in this story: Gavin Thornton, Cohort VIII

From Hawai‘i Public Radio:

If you have children and your household earns less than $57,000 a year, you could qualify for the federal earned income tax credit. Low- to moderate-income households have taken advantage of this credit since 1975.

In 2017, Hawai‘i joined 29 other states in creating a similar tax break for working families and individuals. Advocates say these credits have been proven to help those working a lot, but not making enough.

"The federal earned income tax credit can provide $1,000 or more to low-income working families," said Gavin Thornton, executive director of the Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice. "The state credit provides 20% of that. So a few hundred dollars to households, which is significant for a lot of folks, that means the ability to pay utilities, pay a big chunk of their rent."

Listen at hawaiipublicradio.org.