Improving the Earned Income Credit: Transition to a Wage Subsidy Credit for the Working Poor

Millions of American families have incomes that fall below the poverty line. Of these, many families are poor despite the fact that at least one member of these families works during the year. In this article, Professor Forman examines one tool in the fight against poverty, the earned income credit. Professor Forman examines the history of the credit and its shortcoming and then suggests ways in which the credit could be improved to better serve the working poor.