If you’re lamenting the arrival of Tax Day in just a couple of weeks, you are not alone. According to a poll last December from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, a majority of US taxpayers feel they pay too much in taxes, and few believe the government spends those tax dollars in the best interest of “people like them.” With a majority sentiment like this, wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to reduce your tax liability and direct tax dollars to a cause that’s important to you? 

Thanks to the Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) Tax Credit in the state of Ohio, there is a way to do exactly that. Since late 2021, state law has allowed Ohioans to direct a portion of their Ohio income tax to state-certified SGOs, like the Diocese of Columbus’ own Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund that provides scholarships for K-12 students to attend Our Catholic Schools. In return for a donation to the SGO, taxpayers can receive a dollar-for-dollar reduction of their state income tax liability, up to $750 for an individual, or $1,500 for married couples filing jointly. 

The state sweetened the SGO tax credit last year when it changed the law to allow taxpayers to make a donation up to the April 15 tax deadline and claim the credit on the previous year’s tax filing. What does this mean? If you have not yet filed your 2023 taxes, it’s not too late to turn your state tax dollars to scholarships for Catholic education! 

If all this sounds too good to be true, it’s not. In 2022, over 2,000 taxpayers in our diocese received the credit, while generating nearly $2 million in scholarships for students in our 50 Catholic schools this academic year. In 2023, that amount increased to $3 million, slated to be distributed as scholarships for the coming academic year.  

It has long been a priority of our diocese to make an authentic Catholic education affordable and accessible for all who desire it. With this unique opportunity, we can do just that and everyone wins: you reduce your tax liability and support opportunities for students to encounter Jesus Christ in Our Catholic Schools.

To learn more about our Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund, visit www.emmausroadscholarship.org. Ohio tax credit is up to $750 for an individual or $1,500 if married filing jointly. Consult a tax advisor for guidance on your specific situation.