The federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) also provides a crucial boost to low-income families.

WHITEHOUSE: Champions of Change Blog

The IRS announced this week that it is changing the filing requirements for tax pros who submit a federal tax return claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

FORBES: IRS Proposes New Regulations for Submitting EITC Claims

Most Americans below the median income level pay no federal income tax (and, thanks to the Earned Income Tax Credit, the working poor get substantial rebates).

ECONOMIST: The United States: The rich and the rest | The