Paying for care for children or adult dependents takes more and more out of many families' already limited budgets.  Yet without such care, married-couple and single-parent families alike have difficulty entering or remaining in the labor force.  Financial resources to pay for child and dependent care are necessary for them to earn a living.  The federal tax code & most states provide some assistance to families in meeting their employment-related care expenses.  However, Indiana is one of only 14 states which provide no tax assistance to families struggling to pay for the care that is essential to their economic wellbeing.

HB 1167, sponsored by Representatives Micon, Klinker, Crawford, Buell, and Day, provides a refundable income tax credit for child and dependent care expenses related to the individuals gainful employment.  The Indiana credit proposed is 50% of the federal credit and would only be available to those whose federal adjusted gross income is below $45,000.  This bill could provide about $8.4 million to help hard-working Hoosiers pay for child and dependent care that enables them to continue working - and keep contributing to the overall Indiana economy! 

HB 1167 is up for 2nd reading in the House.  Please contact your representative and ask them to support HB 1167 (click here to contact your legislator)  And thank Representatives Micon, Klinker, Crawford, Buell & Day for sponsoring it.