Healey announces refundable child-and-family tax credit, raises state EITC at Educare Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Governor Maura Healey announced at Educare Springfield that Massachusetts is expanding refundable tax credits and other relief measures intended to put money back in households.

Healey said the state has created a refundable Child and Family Tax Credit of $440 per qualifying child under 13 and removed the previous cap on the number of qualifying children. She said the state also raised the Massachusetts Earned Income Tax Credit from 30% to 40% of the federal credit and doubled the maximum senior housing credit, among other measures.

The announcements came at a Tuesday event hosted at Educare Springfield, where Healey credited local partners and urged eligible residents to file taxes to claim the benefits. "If you've got kids under 13, you're going to get $440 back per child," Healey said, adding that the credit is refundable and that dependent adults qualify for the same amount. "We took the cap away." She also described the EITC increase and said, "If you combine those couple of things, if you've got two or three kids, you could be looking now ... at a combined federal and state credit of close to $10,000." (Healey's estimate reflects an administration projection provided at the event.)

Healey announced additional measures intended to ease household costs, including $50 rebates toward gas bills and a 10 percent discount on electricity bills in specified months. "Get the word out," she said, directing residents to mass.gov/taxcuts for details.

Local nonprofit and community partners at the event said they are prepared to help residents file and claim the credits. Mickey Harris, executive director of Springfield Partners for Community Action, said the group's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program prepared more than 1,000 returns last year that returned roughly $2.3 million to Springfield residents. "We've collectively returned over $60,000,000 in tax refunds to residents," Harris said, referring to the statewide network of community action programs.

Dawn DeStefano, president and CEO of Square 1, described outreach and family-support services that will help households apply for credits and other benefits. "We're here to help families complete that paperwork and make the connections so as not to leave any potential money behind on the table," DeStefano said.

Esther Alesia, identified at the event as a parent champion at Educare Springfield, told attendees the tax credit has already helped her family afford safe learning environments. "This is truly making a difference in my family," she said.

Mayor Domenic Sarno praised the local partnership between Educare and the city and welcomed the governor's visit. "It's a great testament," Sarno said, noting Educare's local ties.

A reporter from 22News asked how the state would replenish revenue after the tax cuts. Healey responded by warning of potential reductions in federal funding and said states will struggle to make up for those losses. "We simply don't have the money, nor does any state in the country have the money to make up for the really terrible cuts that Donald Trump and Elon Musk have already made," Healey said, and urged constituents to press Congress to restore funding for programs such as Head Start.

Commissioner Jeffrey Snyder of the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, who attended the event and was introduced by Healey, was described by the governor as the official who will perform the detailed calculations necessary to implement the changes.

What the state announced (as described at the event):

- Child and Family Tax Credit: $440 per child under age 13, refundable, prior cap on number of qualifying children removed; the state said dependent adults also qualify for the same $440 amount.

- Earned Income Tax Credit (state): increased from 30% to 40% of the federal credit.

- Senior housing credit: maximum increased from $1,200 to $2,700.

- Household-cost measures: $50 rebates for gas bills and a 10% electricity discount in specified months (administration-stated months: March and May).

The governor and her team repeatedly urged eligible residents to file taxes so they can claim these benefits, and she highlighted Massachusetts programs and community organizations that will help residents apply.

No formal votes or legislative actions were recorded at the event; the governor described changes that required prior legislative action and executive implementation.

The governor closed by reiterating the administration's focus on affordability: "It's your money. You're entitled to it," she said, urging attendees to use the state's outreach resources and the mass.gov/taxcuts webpage for more information.