Reps. McGarvey, Casar, and Watson Coleman Introduce Young Adult Tax Credit Act

Reps. McGarvey, Casar, and Watson Coleman Introduce Young Adult Tax Credit Act

Bill establishes a $500 monthly tax credit for 18- to 24- year olds, modeled after Louisville's successful guaranteed income program

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 27, 2026) - Today, Congressman Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Chair Greg Casar (TX-35), and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) introduced the Young Adult Tax Credit Act, a bill to create a universal $500 monthly tax credit, indexed to inflation, for every 18- to 24- year old in the United States.

The bill's introduction was announced at Rep. McGarvey's Louisville district office with a local recipient of the Young Adult Louisville Income for Transformation (YALift!), a guaranteed income pilot program in Louisville that inspired the federal legislation.

"Young adults are up against one of the most expensive economies we've seen in generations," said Congressman Morgan McGarvey. "We've got talented, smart young people excited to start their own lives, but the cost of rent, groceries, gas, and tuition has climbed high enough to fully stop them in their tracks. The Young Adult Tax Credit Act is about giving them a shot at financial independence. Whether it's going to college, moving out from home, or getting trained for the job they always wanted, this money is an investment in their next chapter in life."

"I'm proud to be a co-lead of Congressman McGarvey's bill because young people deserve a break," said CPC Chair Greg Casar. "With rising prices from everything from rent to education, too many young Americans face an uphill battle. I'm grateful to Congressman McGarvey for leading the way on this proposal to begin to change that."

"Young adults face some of the highest rates of poverty in comparison to their older counterparts," said Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman. "I am proud to co-lead this legislation with Congressman McGarvey which put cash transfers directly into the hands of young adults as they navigate this critical point in their lives. Across the nation we've seen the positive effects of people utilizing direct income support -- it puts us on the path to finally abolishing poverty in the United States."

In 2022, the YALift! program invested in 151 young adults through a $500 a month payment for 12 months. As a result, half of the recipients used the income to pursue education or training, and recipients were 32 percent more likely to report working full time and 70 percent less likely to be evicted.

The full text of the bill can be found here.

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Congressman Morgan McGarvey represents Kentucky's Third Congressional District, including Louisville and Jefferson County. He serves on the House Veterans' Affairs, Small Business, and Budget Committees.