Espacios Abiertos unveils interactive map of effects of tax credits
Puerto Rico nonprofit Espacios Abiertos unveiled an interactive map to show the economic impact that some $2.6 billion in Earned Income Tax Credits and Child Tax Credits could have on Puerto Rico and each municipality, and its relationship with poverty and the economic security for participants this year.
The map shows the economic by estimating the amount of money from each of the tax breaks, the number of people to benefit, by municipality, by age, poverty rate, and child poverty.
“We’re talking about more than $2.6 billion in relief for people’s pockets. It’s critical that the population knows and requests both credits as soon as possible,” said Executive Director of Espacios Abiertos, Cecille Blondet.
“This is a unique opportunity for families and for Puerto Rico’s economy. Now, the challenge is to achieve, in the coming months and before April 18, that everybody who qualifies for this money, requests it,” she said.
In the case of Puerto Rico — different from the US mainland states — a double procedure is required.
For the credit for work, with benefits of up to $6,500, it is required to file a return with the Puerto Rico Treasury Department.
In the case of the dependent minor credit, which offers up to $3,600 per child, the person needs to do the same with the Internal Revenue Service, and families that qualify for both credits must apply for each one separately.
“The map we created is a tool that uses information from Treasury and Census forms and that Espacios Abiertos has captured in an interactive data panel,” said Blondet.
“This data and information visualization should also serve as a compass for nonprofits and community groups to strategically allocate resources and target their tax filing preparation and guidance efforts,” added Blondet.
The EITC/CTC impact map joins other technological tools the nonprofit organization has developed to democratize information and promote civic participation, such as the Debt Dictionary, the Fiscal Observatory and QuienMeRepresentaPR.com.
Espacios Abiertos has also worked since 2019 with the Work Credit Calculator and more recently, the AlivioParaTuBolsillo.com website, which presents information on the EITC and CTC.
Research and public policy reports from Espacios Abiertos and the Youth Development Institute estimate that more than 304,000 families could benefit this year from the CTC and 466,000 families from Credit for Work, the nonprofit stated.
