Administrative Burden

By tying aid to work, the EITC largely avoids traditional conservative critiques of welfare. 3 Another common explanation is that the EITC is concealed within the tax system, which reduces its visibility—the public simply does not understand it as well as other policies and does not equate tax reimbursements with direct cash payments to poor people. 4 Although useful, these arguments are incomplete, failing to appreciate the degree to which path dependency and the political influence of third parties have shaped the program.