For over 26 million American households, tax day is a relief. Thanks to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), filing taxes triggers a refund that may be the largest lump sum of cash these families receive all year. Unfortunately, for many other families, it’s just another day. One in four who qualify for the EITC don’t file, and they don’t benefit from what’s really the country’s largest anti-poverty policy effort—currently at over $55 billion. For those with low-incomes and few resources, their tax refund is a welcomed infusion of cash that can be used to manage their poor finances.

When Mitt Romney bowed to political pressure and released his 2010 tax return, it showed, to no one's great surprise, that the Romneys are rich. Really, really rich. They reported income of more than $21 million, itemized deductions of over $4.5 million, and a total tax bill of just over $3 million. They made charitable contributions of almost $3 million, although more than half of that went to their church.

Student loan debt was a problem long before Occupy Wall Street protesters added it to their list of grievances. The recession hit the younger end of the workforce particularly hard: the combination of a jobless recovery, rising tuition bills and mounting debt have become a crushing burden. Total student debt today is approaching one trillion dollars — exceeding the balance due on credit cards — and is second only to mortgage debt in American households. In fact, it's the only class of debt in which defaults are increasing.

Editor’s Note: Contributors to this post will be part of a panel on the topic taking place on Thursday, February 9th in Washington, D.C. Sign up for the event here. This post is part of the Global Innovation Showcase created by the New America Foundation and the Global Public Square.