This Week in ESG and Impact Investing

In a June, 2021 internal report by Creative Investment Research on the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and simple non-filer tools, we noted that the Biden Administration forecast the CTC would cut child poverty by half. For the first time since July’s CTC’s implementation, we have data that helps determine the impact of the initiative on both consumer spending and household stability. New research confirms CTC’s positive impact on U.S. social and economic activity. In an August 2021 report, the Niskanen Center forecast a $27 billion dollar increase, over the next 12 months, in consumer spending. They envisage this jump in spending will generate another $1.9 billion in revenue from state and local sales taxes.[1] Their forecast predicts an increase of 500,000 median wage level jobs. These are significant and positive impacts. In addition to elevated consumer spending, CTC will have significant positive impacts on low-to-middle income families. Developed under the American Rescue Plan to reduce c...

On June 17th, 2021, the Biden Administration announced the Child Tax Credit (part of the American Rescue Plan) in order to combat child poverty. To be eligible for this program, individuals must file taxes and have income no greater than $50,000. This program gives $3,000 to parents with children between the ages 6-17 and $3,600 to those who have children under the age of 6. The Biden Administration believes that it is a moral imperative to make sure this tax credit reaches parents struggling to take care of their children. In a critical modification not seen before, this programs gives parents who have not filed taxes the ability to receive tax credit through a simple non-tax-filer tool specifically for this child tax credit.  This program has several distinctive features:  First-time payments will be distributed in monthly $500 increments.  Furthermore, parents who have not filed taxes are encouraged to file immediately, since this tax credit program allows them to rece...