Grandparents and other relatives care for millions of children in foster care and outside the formal child welfare system. Both non-relative and relative foster parents must go through a foster care agency to legally become a foster family and to receive foster care payment reimbursements. Although foster families are often comprised of extended family members, relatives have no legal responsibility to become a child’s caregiver. Relative caregivers and foster parents often do not know that they may be able to claim the children they take care of for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Child Tax Credit (CTC).
CONNECT WITH
- Foster care agencies and child welfare agencies
- Family counseling and crisis intervention programs
- Grandparent and foster parent support groups
- Programs for seniors
STRATEGIES
1. Highlight the eligibility of foster parents and relative caregivers in outreach materials.
Campaign materials that refer only to a parent’s eligibility will miss many families that may qualify. Emphasize that various caregivers may be eligible for these tax credits.
2. Work with public foster care agencies.
State agencies, such as child welfare agencies and agencies that administer Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs, may interact on a regular basis with foster parents and relative caregivers.
Encourage them to:
- Include information on claiming the EITC and the CTC in trainings for families.
- Send tax credit information with foster care payments and cash assistance payments.
- Discuss the credits during home visits.
3. Reach out to community-based programs.
Find programs that support foster parents or grandparents raising grandchildren with services such as family counseling and crisis intervention. Some organizations also offer help with school supplies and clothes.
4. Involve associations and support groups.
Ask your state foster care association and area grandparents raising grandchildren support groups to share tax credit information. Support outreach efforts by offering to:
- Arrange speakers for local meetings.
- Contribute articles for association newsletters.
Find your state foster care association here, or visit the National Foster Parent Association.
5. Work with organizations that share information with seniors.
Ensure that Area Agencies on Aging, senior employment programs and programs that recruit seniors as volunteers — such as the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) or AmeriCorps Seniors — share information about the tax credits with seniors raising children.
Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE), sponsored by the IRS, provides seniors and families with lower incomes free tax filing help. AARP is the largest TCE participant, providing services through its Tax-Aide Program. To find the nearest Tax-Aide Program, contact AARP at 1-888-AARPNOW (1-888-227-7669). During tax time, locations are available on the AARP website.
