Philadelphia Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity Annual ‘Claim Your Money PHL’ Campaign Offers Free Tax Prep and Other Support

PHILADELPHIA - Today, the City of Philadelphia's Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity (CEO) officially launched its annual "Claim Your Money PHL" campaign. This initiative focuses on outreach to ensure that more Philadelphia residents are claiming any funds they are owed through the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). In addition, this year, "Claim Your Money PHL" messaging educates Philadelphians on the new State Level Working Pennsylvanians Tax Credit (WPTC) opportunity.

It's estimated that more than 40,000 Philadelphians do not claim their federal EITC refund each year, which averages $2,743 and could reach as much as $8,046. Individuals who qualify for the federal EITC will also automatically qualify for the new state WPTC-worth 10 percent of their EITC, up to $805. Eligible parents or guardians of children under the age of 17 can receive up to $2,200 per child through the federal CTC. In addition, eligible taxpayers can file or amend returns for the 2022, 2023, and 2024 credits if they haven't done so already.

"Your money. These are the pivotal words of the campaign," said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. "Philadelphians have earned these credits. The money belongs to our residents and should not be left on the table. We want to see these credits working for our residents- We are incredibly grateful for all the community partners who share in this mission and are once again dedicating their time and talents, to help as many Philadelphians as possible file."

The "Claim Your Money PHL" campaign reinforces that Philadelphians do not have to pay to claim their EITC, CTC, and WPTC. CEO and its partners are dedicated to their work, which seeks to ensure free tax preparation and filing services are accessible throughout the city. The partners include the Philadelphia Commerce Department and its partners campaign- Working Families, Ceiba, Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation and Universal Financial Solutions. They currently have more than a dozen locations open in Philadelphia and operate virtually.

"Together with our Claim Your Money PHL campaign partners, we work tirelessly to remove every possible barrier between a resident or family and the money they are rightfully owed," said Orlando Rendon, Executive Director, Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity. "Philadelphians are met with professional support that is free, culturally aware, multilingual, and convenient   to where our neighbors live and work."

Utilizing the resources available, CEO urges Philadelphians eligible for EITC and WPTC and/or CTC to make sure they file by the April 15 tax deadline.

Eligibility and other key information 

To be eligible for EITC, an individual must:

• Have a valid Social Security number.

• Be at least 25 years old but under 65, if they have no dependents; if a person is outside this age range, they still may be eligible if they claim dependents.

• Have earned less than $61,555 in 2025 if they are single, or less than $68,675 if married and filing jointly.

Eligibility for WPTC:

• Individuals who qualify for the federal EITC will also automatically qualify.

Eligibility information for CTC:

• In addition to parents and guardians, grandparents, adoptive parents and foster parents, others may qualify if they can claim a child as a dependent.

• Each child must have a Social Security number.

• A child must have been younger than 17 in 2025.

• CTC may still be available to a parent/guardian even if they didn't earn enough to file taxes.

To clarify concerns expressed by some residents, CEO emphasizes that for both EITC and CTC, the money a person receives does not have to be repaid, and there are no conditions on how it can be spent. In addition, if a family receives money from CTC, it will not have an impact on eligibility for other benefits such as SNAP or Medicaid.

The filing deadline for 2025 EITC, CTC, and WPTC-as well as new or amended returns for 2022, 2023, and 2024-is April 15. However, CEO encourages Philadelphians to file as soon as possible.

More information on EITC and CTC eligibility and free tax preparation services is available at ClaimYourMoneyPHL.com.