The Office of the Comptroller today released a report highlighting the success of “EarnedIt 2026,” an expanded awareness campaign helping eligible Marylanders claim the state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Under the tagline “You’ve Earned It, Now Claim It,” the campaign encouraged Marylanders to check their eligibility, find free tax preparation assistance, and claim the credit.
The report shows that Marylanders who claimed the credit gained more than $1 billion through a combination of refunds and reduced tax liability, an 8% increase from the previous year. On average, those who qualified for the EITC received a $935 refund or saw a $1,333 reduction in taxes owed. This year, 443,156 Marylanders, equaling 86% of those eligible, claimed the EITC.
“The Earned Income Tax Credit puts money back in the pockets of working Marylanders to help cover groceries, housing, childcare, and other everyday needs,” said Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman. “These results show that investing in outreach makes a difference for working Marylanders and our economy. We will keep building on this progress so that more Marylanders claim this credit and save money at a time of rising costs.”
With funding from the General Assembly (2024 House Bill 845/Senate Bill 1105), the Office of the Comptroller and the Governor’s Office for Children led the EarnedIt 2026 campaign, which generated 10 million outreach touchpoints and more than tripled the previous campaign’s reach. The combined effort included paid advertising, social media, text messages, partnerships with 13 state and local government agencies, collaborations with elected officials, and a new letter campaign targeting Marylanders who appeared eligible for the credit based on state tax data. The Office of the Comptroller also worked with the Urban Institute to better understand who was missing the credit and why, and with New America to test and refine campaign messaging.
“The EarnedIt campaign is a powerful example of government working as it should,” said Special Secretary, Governor's Office for Children, Carmel Martin. “By breaking down barriers and working together across state agencies to reach Marylanders, we're putting more money back in families' pockets—up to an additional $4,000 per family. We look forward to building on the progress we've made to advance economic mobility by continuing to increase access to critical tax credits.”
The EarnedIt campaign will continue in the coming years, applying lessons learned to broaden and strengthen its outreach.
