Low- to moderate-income working families and individuals can receive free tax preparation services from Monday, Jan. 31, to Friday, April 15, at sites in Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry counties.
The effort is part of Money in Your Pocket (MIYP), a community collaboration of organizations committed to the economic stability of local families. The program, led by United Way of the Capital Region, aims to increase use of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC). The EITC is a tax credit offered by the federal government to low-income workers.
Volunteers will prepare computerized, electronic returns through the Internal Revenue Service's Volunteer Tax Income Assistance (VITA) program, which is designed to provide low-income families with help completing federal and state returns and obtaining all eligible tax credits. This year, people whose wage income is less than $58,000 may qualify for assistance.
MIYP will also offer virtual assisted tax preparation through Touch-Free Taxes, which connects clients to trained volunteers who will prepare their taxes for free. Touch-Free Taxes can be accessed from a smartphone, tablet or computer.
In conjunction with United Way Worldwide, MIYP will offer unassisted tax preparation through http://www.myfreetaxes.com. More information is available at the aforementioned website.
Since 2003, MIYP volunteers have filed 58,391 federal tax returns, resulting in more than $66.4 million returned to local families. The program has saved clients $9.2 million in tax preparation fees during that time. The average annual income for clients receiving free tax preparation services is $22,000.
MIYP receives financial support from the PNC Foundation, the Truist Foundation and the U.S. Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service.
For more information on the MIYP program or for a list of tax sites, contact Heidi Neuhaus at hneuhaus@uwcr.org or 717-724-4077 or visit http://www.uwcr.org/miyp.
Leave a Review