PITTSBURGH (12/07/2008) - A recent generous donation to the nonprofit 4 Kids Early Learning Network has demonstrated the benefit of expanded tax-related opportunities for Pennsylvania businesses. The law firm Williams Coulson Johnson Lloyd Parker & Tedesco, LLC has contributed $100,000 to the 4 Kids Scholarship Fund—and in consequence has greatly reduced its Pennsylvania tax liability.

Williams Coulson took advantage of Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit program (EITC), which encourages businesses to control the way their state income tax money is spent by directing it to qualified local educational institutions. Depending on the amount donated and the timeframe, a business can quality for a tax credit of 75%, 90%, or even 100% of its contribution.

The EITC program was recently expanded to allow the participation of thousands more businesses by including personal income tax liability from “flow-through entities” such as an S-corporation, partnership, or LLC. The change opens the tax benefit to law firms like Williams Coulson, as well as to many physician practices, accounting firms, real estate partnerships, and more.

4 Kids is a community–based organization that provides a range of early-education activities: center-based and school-based programs, drop-in centers, and before- and after-school and summer programs. Accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), 4 Kids has also been awarded the maximum number of stars in Pennsylvania’s Keystone STARS initiative. Ongoing research has demonstrated that 4 Kids graduates—who are often from families where poverty can lead to developmental delays and difficulty in school—do remarkably well not only in academic domains, but also in social and behavioral areas that are vital to success in the workplace and in life.

Raymond Parker is a partner at Williams Coulson and member of the Board of Directors of Heritage Health Foundation, Inc. (www.hhfi.org), which created and operates 4 Kids. He said, “4 Kids transforms the lives of the infants, toddlers, and preschoolers it serves. Our firm is pleased to make this donation in support of the immeasurably valuable work performed by 4 Kids and Heritage Health Foundation.”