Putting Dollars Back Into Families’ Pockets: Agudah Advocacy Helps Expand Empire State Child Tax Credit

After years of research and advocacy, Agudath Israel of America is pleased to announce that New York State has, beginning this (2023) tax year, expanded its Empire State Child Tax Credit to include children under age four. 

With tax preparation season in full swing, what this change means in practical terms is that many Jewish and other families will, for the first time now, receive an additional, refundable tax credit for eligible children under four, putting real dollars directly back into families’ pockets. The tax credit can refund hundreds or even thousands of dollars to parents, dependent on income and number of children. Consult your tax professional for eligibility and details.  

Agudath Israel applauds Senator Jeremy Cooney and Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi for leading the effort to expand the tax credit in their respective houses. Agudath Israel thanks Assemblymember Helene Weinstein, Chair of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, who after hearing directly from Agudah activists, first incorporated the measure into the Assembly One House budget back in 2022. 

Helping growing, young families is a longstanding, nationwide priority at Agudath Israel. Young Orthodox Jewish families are typically larger than average, and pay more for kosher food, to live in areas within walking distance to a shul, and, perhaps most consequentially, to self-fund their children’s education through yeshiva tuition.  

“In looking at this puzzle – how to directly help Jewish families in New York, I was encouraged to study the tax code,” said Mr. Avrohom Weinstock, Agudah’s Chief of Staff. “I found a counterintuitive loophole in the Empire State Child Tax Credit, which excluded children under four. Paradoxically, young children are most likely to experience poverty, and parents of young parents have the most challenging time returning to work. In fact, in a 50-state survey Agudath Israel performed, New York was the only state in the nation to specifically exclude young children from a tax credit.” 

“Senator Cooney and Assemblymember Hevesi have been true champions of this cause. They had written about and independently recognized this issue and fought for its rectification to do right by New York’s families,” said Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, Agudah’s Director of New York Government Relations. “We will continue to fight for our families, and to help forge stronger, safer, autonomous Jewish institutions.