Pennsylvania Tax Credit Survey

A new survey conducted by First Five Action has found that a majority of registered voters in Pennsylvania (69%) support both tax credits which were created to alleviate the high cost of raising a child – the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC).

Pennsylvania voters surveyed specifically stated their support for expanding the CDCTC and having two credits given the different focus of each.

Background: 

• The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit specifically helps working parents offset the cost of child care. However, the current CDCTC benefit levels were set in 2001; they have not been adjusted to keep pace with inflation or the current cost of care.
• The Child Tax Credit can be used by families to offset any costs associated with raising a child, like food, rent, clothes, medicine, diapers, etc. It plays an essential role in helping to lift families out of poverty.
• Click here for a detailed analysis of why parents need both. 

Support Cuts Across Party Lines: 

• 79% of Democrats, 69% of Independents, and 57% of Republicans support having both credits
• 68% of rural voters and 64% of suburban voters

CDCTC & Child Care in Pennsylvania: 

• The current average CDCTC credit is $534. When the CDCTC was temporarily expanded and made refundable in 2021, parents in Pennsylvania received an average of $1,456 more to help offset the cost of child care.
• 68% of children under five in Pennsylvania have all available parents in the workforce and thus may need care. 
• Center based infant care in Pennsylvania costs an average of $14,000 a year.

“The CDCTC is the only tax credit specifically designed to help alleviate the cost of child care. At a time when the astronomical cost of quality care is as much an everyday talking point for politicians as it is for employers and families around the kitchen table, lawmakers must make this credit one that meets today’s needs,” said First Five Action President Sarah Rittling.