Mayor Eric Adams Launches New York City Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Campaign

On Friday, March 3rd, Mayor Eric Adams launched a multimedia marketing campaign to promote and create awareness of the city’s expanded New York City Earned Income Tax Credit (NYC EITC). The marketing campaign will run on multiple platforms including television, radio, social media, and print. There will also be billboards, posters, and other forms of advertising. One form of advertising New Yorkers will see is car wrapping. 

The campaign is tasked with making nearly 800,000 eligible New Yorkers aware of the tax benefits they can receive. “This tax season, working-class New Yorkers can expect to see more cash back than ever before, but only if they claim what’s theirs,” said Mayor Adams. “Last year, we went to Albany and secured an expansion of the city’s EITC for the first time in almost 20 years, and matched that with city action. Now, we are launching a marketing campaign to encourage eligible New Yorkers to take advantage of this expanded benefit. This is how we ‘Get Stuff Done’ for working New Yorkers.” 

The marketing campaign will add up to $1.5 million under the management of the Mayor’s Office of Ethnic and Community media. The creative side of the campaign is going to be executed by Athena Creative and Venus Media Group. According to Mayor Adams, Athena Creative and Venus Media Group are companies owned by women. “The Mayor’s Office of Ethnic and Community Media is proud to spearhead this marketing campaign to spread awareness about the enhanced Earned Income Tax Credit available to eligible New Yorkers this tax season,” said Mayor’s Office of Ethnic and Community Media Executive Director José Bayona. “This campaign will ensure working New Yorkers know whether they qualify and how they can access this important benefit to support themselves and their families.” 

Thanks to work done by Mayor Adams and the City Council, the state budget implemented an EITC increase for the first time in almost 20 years. The city pledged $250 million annually to the NYC EITC and also received a $100 million contribution from the state.  

“The Earned Income Tax Credit is a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of families across New York City,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “Last year’s expansion of the EITC was a historic achievement and the launch of this broad-based marketing campaign will ensure that New Yorkers in every corner of every borough are ready to seize this opportunity and put money back in their pockets.” 

With the city’s expanded tax program, eligible residents will receive improved tax benefits. A single parent with one child earning an income of $14,750 or less per year will see benefits improve from $187 to $933, which is a 400% increase. A married couple with two children and a yearly income of $25,000 will see a 200 percent increase, from $308 to $925. The new tax benefits will apply to about 800,000 New Yorkers and will help as a financial supplement in these challenging times of inflation and a high cost of living.  

“The expanded New York City EITC is a win for working New Yorkers, helping them to better afford essentials, like food, health care, and child care,” said New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga. “If you qualify for the EITC, chances are you also qualify for our NYC Free Tax Prep program to help you file your taxes for free. Thank you to Mayor Adams for fighting for this expansion and giving more New Yorkers back their hard-earned money, and for launching this campaign to help spread the word about this incredibly valuable tax credit.” 

The NYC EITC marketing campaign will work in tandem with the DCWP’s Free Tax Prep Campaign, which provides professional, free tax preparation that assists New Yorkers in claiming tax benefits. According to DCWP Commissioner Mayuga, the Free Tax Prep has seen over 1.4 million tax filings made through the program since 2008. The NYC Free Tax Prep may also be used by freelance workers and small businesses.