Politics

Hawley Plan Gives ‘Marriage Bonus’ To Married Parents With Young Children 

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Mary Margaret Olohan Social Issues Reporter
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Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley introduced a bill Monday aimed at providing support for families with young children.

Hawley’s plan would give single parents with children under 13 $6,000 in parent tax credits and married parents with children under 13 $12,000 in tax credits, the senator’s office announced in a press release.

“Starting a family and raising children should not be a privilege only reserved for the wealthy,” Hawley said in a statement. “Millions of working people want to start a family and would like to care for their children at home, but current policies do not respect these preferences.”

“American families should be supported, no matter how they choose to care for their kids,” Hawley said. (RELATED: Hawley, Lawmakers Introduce Bills Allowing Victims To Sue Pornhub, Perpetrators)

The Parent Tax Credit would be a fully refundable tax credit provided to families through automatic monthly advances, Hawley’s office said in a press release. (RELATED: Hawley Amendment Suggests Giving Planned Parenthood’s Federal Funds To Adoption)

“Although most American families believe children are better off when one parent stays home to care for them, current federal childcare programs and policies force both parents into the labor market and require children be enrolled in formal commercial childcare,” the press release said.

Single-parent households will have to report prior year earnings that are greater than or equal to an earnings threshold of $7,540, or 20 hours per week of work at the federal minimum wage. Married parents who file a joint tax return must meet the same earnings threshold, according to Hawley’s office — a requirement that “creates an explicit marriage bonus of 100 percent.”

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