The city Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity officially launched its annual “Claim Your Money PHL” campaign during a Feb. 5 news conference at City Hall.
This campaign focuses on outreach to ensure that more Philadelphia residents are claiming any funds they are owed through the federal Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. In addition, this year, Claim Your Money PHL messaging is educating Philadelphians on the new state Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit.
Among those at the event were city Managing Director Adam Thiel; Orlando Rendon, executive director of the Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity; Nikia Owens, President/CEO, Campaign for Working Families; Will Gonzalez, Executive Director, Ceiba; and Stacie Johnson, business pathway coordinator at Abraham Lincoln High School.
Rendon said this is the fourth year the city is being proactive about engaging Philadelphians about the tax credits.
Still, it’s estimated that, annually, more than 40,000 Philadelphians do not claim their federal EITC refund, which averages $2,743 and could reach as much as $8,046.
Individuals who qualify for the federal EITC will also automatically qualify for the new state WPTC — worth 10 percent of their EITC, up to $805.
Eligible parents or guardians of children under the age of 17 can receive up to $2,200 per child through the federal CTC.
Thiel, wearing a green tie, said the two most important words of the campaign are “your money.”
Philadelphians do not have to pay to claim their EITC, CTC and WPTC. Community Empowerment and Opportunity has four partners – Campaign for Working Families, Ceiba, Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation and Universal Financial Solutions – that offer free services.
To be eligible for EITC, an individual must be at least 25 years old but under 65, if they have no dependents, and must have earned less than $61,555 in 2025 if they are single, or less than $68,675 if married and filing jointly.
Eligibility for CTC is open to parents and guardians, grandparents, adoptive parents and foster parents whose child was younger than 17 in 2025.
The filing deadline for 2025 EITC, CTC and WPTC — as well as new or amended returns for 2022, 2023 and 2024 — is April 15.
Owens, of the Campaign for Working Families, described the EITC as an effective anti-poverty program. Last year, her agency returned more than $11 million to taxpayers.
“We want to do that again this year,” she said.
Johnson, the Lincoln teacher, brought five seniors with her – Symir Tatum and Jaliel Salvatierra, who both spoke, along with Genesis Paredes, Marco Andrade and Gianna Reyes.
In all, Johnson works with 60 students at Lincoln and George Washington.
Last year, Johnson’s students were among the partners that, Owens said, helped the Campaign for Working Families prepare more than 30,000 tax returns.
Owens and the students were wearing shirts that read, “Campaign for Working Families. Where Refunds Meet Reality.” Owens encouraged people to visit CWFPhilly.org.
Tatum told the crowd that he takes his volunteer work seriously.
“It teaches me what it’s like to work in a professional environment,” he said.
Johnson praised the work of the students.
“I am so proud of these kids,” she said. “They do this without compensation.” ••
More information on EITC and CTC eligibility and free tax preparation services is available at ClaimYourMoneyPHL.com.
