Michigan’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is an effective pro-work and anti-poverty tool that supplements the federal EITC in boosting the after-tax incomes of Michiganders who are eligible for it. However, because Michigan’s credit piggybacks off of rules set by the federal government, many Michiganders who aren’t raising children in their homes are left out and those who do qualify receive very low credits.1 As a result, childless workers, including those who may be parents but whose kids don’t live with them, often remain the sole group still taxed into poverty by state and federal tax codes. Michigan would help these Michiganders by enacting a broader credit like the Cost-of-Living Refund or at least expanding its current EITC to young workers without children and increasing its credit.
Why Michigan Should Expand EITC Eligibility
Young Workers Struggling to Make Ends Meet
With more than one-quarter of Michiganders aged 18-24 living in poverty, and many more struggling to make ends meet, expanding Michigan’s EITC could go a long way toward helping young workers. The EITC supports and encourages work, boosts local economies, and helps improve racial equity by reducing some of the impacts of systemic racism.
Youth Aging Out of Foster Care
About 1 in 4 of Michigan’s foster care children are aged 14 and older. Older foster care children are less likely to be adopted or reunited with family and are instead emancipated once they leave the foster care system. Unfortunately, Michigan provides very few services to foster care youth transitioning out of care, leaving many ill-equipped for employment, education and housing.
Young Parents and Their Children
About 9% of all 18-24-year-olds are young adult parents. Nearly 3 in 4 children (73%) in Michigan with young parents live in families with low incomes. Boosting incomes of young parents, including noncustodial parents, directly improves lives of kids. Noncustodial parents would be able to use the EITC to help pay for things their kids need or meet child support expectations, and children in families that receive the benefit of the EITC are often healthier, do better and go further in school, and earn more as adults.
Sources: Erica Williams and Samantha Waxman, States Can Adopt or Expand Earned Income Tax Credits to Build a Stronger Future Economy, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, March 2019. Fostering Youth Transition, Annie E. Casey Foundation, November 2018; Opening Doors for Young Parents, KIDS COUNT, Annie E. Casey Foundation, September 2018; Kids Count data center.
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Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Jacob Kaplan 
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Donald Stuckey 
Patrick Schaefer
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Amber Bellazaire joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a policy analyst in June of 2019. Her work primarily focuses on state policy and budgets affecting Michigan’s Medicaid programs. Previously, Amber worked at the National Conference of State Legislatures tracking legislation and research related to injury and violence prevention, adolescent health, and maternal and child health. She also brings with her two years of Americorps service. As a full time volunteer, Amber had the opportunity to tutor high school students in Chelsea, Massachusetts and address issues of healthcare access and food insecurity through in-person outreach in Seattle, Washington.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
