Turtle Creek, PA - Today, Governor Josh Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis visited legislative and community leaders in Allegheny County to encourage eligible Pennsylvanians to take advantage of the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit (WPTC) as they file their taxes prior to this year's April 15th tax deadline to receive more money as part of their tax refunds.

One of seven tax cuts the Governor and Lieutenant Governor have secured since taking office, the WPTC was created in the 2025-26 budget and will put as much as $805 back into the pockets of approximately 940,000 hardworking Pennsylvanians, easing the burden of rising costs for families across the Commonwealth. While the Department of Revenue has received tax returns from 492,960 filers claiming the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit, approximately 450,000 Pennsylvanians who qualify have yet to file their taxes and claim this credit - including nearly 40,000 residents of Allegheny County.

"When I took office, I made a commitment to cut costs for Pennsylvanians and my Administration is making real progress," said Governor Shapiro. "The Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit is the seventh tax cut we've delivered through bipartisan work with the Legislature - but there are more than 400,000 hardworking Pennsylvanians who have yet to claim this credit, and I want to make sure everyone who is eligible, will get this money back into their pockets."

With the WPTC in effect, for the first time in more than 50 years, the Commonwealth has authorized a new tax benefit specifically for low-income Pennsylvanians. Modeled after the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the WPTC equals 10 percent of the federal credit and anyone who qualifies for the federal EITC will be automatically eligible for both credits.

"Governor Shapiro and I are putting money back in the pockets of the working families who need it most - and that's not just the right thing to do, it's the smart thing to do. We know families will put that money right back into their communities - whether it's buying shoes for their kids, grabbing dinner at a local pizza shop, or signing them up for baseball or swimming lessons," said Lt. Governor Davis. "And when you add in savings from the Child Care Tax Credit or student loan relief, we're talking about real, meaningful support that's making a difference for working families across Pennsylvania."

The Governor and Lt. Governor visited Human Services Center Mon Valley (HSCMV), a nonprofit dedicated to helping the people of the Mon Valley live a better life, to urge Pennsylvanians to check their eligibility for the WPTC and take advantage of the tax-filing resources that are available across the Commonwealth, like HSCMV's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

"We have a lengthy history of responding to community needs here in the Mon Valley and the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit has already increased the return dollars for the people that we serve," said Dave Coplan, Executive Director, Human Services Center Mon Valley. "Governor Shapiro has made it a priority to help countless Pennsylvanians with their economic circumstances."

HSCMV works to provide tax filing assistance through the VITA program organized by the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, offering services like free tax preparation and financial education, with volunteers who are ready to help people file their returns for free and claim their available tax relief, including dollars distributed through the WPTC.

About the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit

Pennsylvanians qualify for the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit based on income and number of dependents. The maximum state credit is $805.

• When Pennsylvanians file their federal and state taxes together this tax season, the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue will automatically calculate the state credit.
• Anyone who qualifies for the federal EITC will automatically qualify for the state credit, helping reduce taxes owed and get more money back to hardworking Pennsylvanians.
• Free tax preparation services support Pennsylvanians with filing assistance, including HSCMV. This tax season, HSCMV has helped process 517 federal tax returns, returning $784,987 in federal refunds to their clients and 455 state tax returns, returning $31,084 to their clients.

Putting Money Back Into the Pockets of Pennsylvanians

As of this week, the Shapiro Administration is more than halfway to its expected $193.5 million in total tax relief from the WPTC, secured in the 2025-26 budget.

More than 35,000 Pennsylvanians in Allegheny County claiming the WPTC have filed their taxes with DOR, delivering $9 million to people who have claimed the new credit.

For eligible Pennsylvanians:

• A single working parent with three children earning $23,300 would receive the maximum of $805.
• A single working parent with two children who earns $50,000 per year would receive $154.
• A single working parent with three children who earns $45,000 per year would receive $349.
• A married couple with two children making $30,470 would receive $715.
• A married couple with three children making $60,000 would receive $183.

"With the support of forward thinking state policies under the leadership of the Shapiro-Davis administration, I believe the Mon Valley is starting to turn a corner," said Senator Nick Pisciottano, PA's 45th Senatorial District "New state programs like the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit and the Child Care Tax Credit are the difference between a growing and a slowing economy - and a growing economy uplifts every Pennsylvanian."

"One of the best parts in the state budget was the Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit," said Representative Brandon Markosek, PA's 25th House District. "I was proud to vote for it to help working families get more money back into their pockets. I appreciate Governor Shapiro bringing everyone to the table to get it done."

This chart shows the maximum federal EITC and the corresponding maximum Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit - equal to 10 percent of the federal amount - along with the estimated number of Pennsylvanians who will benefit this tax season.

ESTIMATED BENEFICIARIES - Tax Filing Year 2025
Federal EITC Amount of Credit Maximum		Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit Maximum	Pennsylvanians Benefiting
Qualifying Dependent(s) Claimed	Maximum Federal Credit	Maximum State Credit	Number
Zero	$649	$65	261,739
One	$4,328	$433	314,291
Two	$7,152	$715	230,575
Three or more	$8,046	$805	133,641
Total			940,246

Building on Three Years of Progress

The Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit builds on six additional tax cuts Governor Shapiro has enacted since taking office:

• Expanding the Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) program - the largest targeted tax cut for seniors in nearly two decades. Last year, more than 513,000 Pennsylvanians received nearly $315 million dollars in rebates.
• Creating the Employer Child Care Contribution Tax Credit to help businesses support working parents.
• Expanding the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit - now matching 100 percent of the federal credit. Last year, this credit delivered $139 million to nearly 222,000 working families.
• Allowing student loan interest deduction up to $2,500.
• Lowering the Corporate Net Income Tax (CNIT) - saving businesses more than $2.9 billion, with the rate continuing to drop.
• Increasing Net Operating Loss (NOL) deductions to help small businesses grow.

Read the Governor's 2026-27 proposed budget in brief here.

Watch Governor Shapiro's full budget address to a joint session of the House and Senate here and read the Governor's full remarks as prepared for delivery here.