Effective Marginal Tax Rates for Working for Families Recipients

Abstract

This paper examines how the Working for Families (WFF) package changed work incentives for WFF recipient families. While not being able to examine work incentives directly, we were able to measure changes in effective marginal tax rates (EMTRs) for WFF recipients. The lower the EMTR a person faces, the more financially profitable it is for them to increase their hours of work or earnings. Conversely, a high EMTR over a range of earnings can be a disincentive for a person to work more. Beneficiary families and the vast majority of low income non­beneficiary families in receipt of WFF had lower EMTRs as a result of the policy changes. The April 2006 changes to the WFF package decreased EMTRs for middle­to­high income families already in receipt of WFF Tax Credits, but increased EMTRs for families who became newly eligible for this component as a direct result of the changes.