SPOKANE, Wash. — Thousands of Spokane residents have yet to take advantage of a tax credit that could save them over $1,000.
The Working Families Tax Credit provides yearly payments of up to $1,255 to low-to-moderate income households across Washington.
The City of Spokane said the goal of the program is to address inequities in the current tax structure.
The Department of Revenue estimates nearly 30,000 families in Spokane County are eligible for the credit, but that only about 13,000 have participated in the program.
According to the City of Spokane, 12,320 refunds have been issued locally, returning $9,364,000 to Spokane County.
Mayor Lisa Brown worked on the creation of the WFTC during her time in the state Legislature and is now devoting funds to spread the word about the program.
“Upon hearing the numbers, it is clear we wanted to do more to publicize and create the awareness for this new program that is easy to apply for, by the way,” said Mayor Brown.
The city has dedicated $250,000 in American Rescue Plan funds to support SNAP, Nuestras Raices and LaunchNW to raise awareness about the WFTC in the community through local events, engagement and outreach and personal tax assistance.
“SNAP is thrilled to collaborate with our community partner to make sure more Spokane families know about and benefit from the Working Families Tax Credit. This initiative can make a real difference by putting extra funds back into the hands of hardworking residents,” said SNAP Philathropy Manager Nicole Bishop. “With our shared outreach efforts, we’re committed to helping individuals understand their eligibility, access support, and successfully apply for this meaningful credit.”
Even if you’ve already filed your taxes for this year, you can still check if you qualified for and received the credit.
To learn more and see if you qualify, visit secure.dor.wa.gov.
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