U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist is co-sponsoring a bill that would increase tax credits for working families who live in the federal disaster areas created by Hurricanes Irma and Harvey.

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, D-St. Petersburg, is co-sponsoring legislation to provide tax relief to working families impacted by Hurricanes Irma and Harvey.

The bill has the backing of House Ways and Means Tax Policy Subcommittee Ranking Member Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, and more than 30 other house members. If passed, it would provide qualifying individuals and families in Irma- and Harvey-related federal disaster areas with the maximum assistance from the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, giving them the option of using their 2016, pre-hurricane income to compute the credits. (Click here to view a copy of the Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma Working Family Tax Relief Act).

“From Pinellas to Houston to the U.S. Virgin Islands, hardworking Americans are struggling due to lost wages caused by Hurricanes Irma and Harvey. This financial hardship could not come at a more devastating time, as they face unexpected costs to recover and rebuild after these storms,” Crist said. “Congress needs to help these folks, providing the maximum relief possible under the tax credit programs working families depend on. Congress should swiftly pass this important bill – we’re all in this together.”

A hypothetical example of how an average family would be affected by the Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma Working Family Tax Relief Act:

Mary is a single mother with two kids and works as a cashier at a local restaurant. She earns $15,000 a year and received $5,572 from the Earned Income Tax Credit and $1,800 from the Child Tax Credit in 2016. Following Hurricane Irma, Mary’s restaurant was destroyed and she was unemployed for the rest of 2017. Mary’s 2017 income was reduced to $10,000 a year and she would qualify for $4,010 from the Earned Income Tax Credit and $1,050 from the Child Tax Credit. Mary’s total tax credit benefit was reduced by $2,312 in 2017. Under this bill, Mary could use her 2016 income to maximize her tax credit benefit and receive the amount she anticipated before the hurricane.

Crist represents Florida’s 13th Congressional District, which includes south and mid-Pinellas County.

For information about Crist, go to crist.house.gov.

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