Free tax help for working families

Did you know?  Wage earning families with a household income up to $50,000 in 2012 are eligible for free tax preparation services at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites.

IRS-trained volunteers help eligible families and individuals prepare and electronically file their state and federal income tax forms at no charge.

·         The federal EITC is available to lower-to-moderate wage earning families.

·         CT-EITC is also available for working families locally.

·         Families who are eligible for both EITC and CT-EITC may receive an average of up to $2,181 from the two combined.

United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut is dedicated to helping working families get ahead financially and is proud to lead this year's VITA program. This program is supported by contributions to United Way Community Investment through the United Way Community Campaign.

Together with community partners, including the City of Hartford, the IRS, United Way 2-1-1, the Walmart Foundation and others, United Way and VITA are helping to ensure that working families claim the refunds and credits they've earned. If you are interested in flyers or other printed materials regarding this opportunity, please visit http://www.unitedwayinc.org/freetaxrefunds. We encourage sharing with as many individuals and families as you can!

Last year, 338 VITA volunteers completed more than 13,000 hours of service. Volunteers served more than 9,400 taxpayers in United Way's 40-town region, resulting in $22.6 million in refunds and credits to working families, including $6.5 million in the state and federal Earned Income Tax Credit.

You can direct anyone who is interested in utilizing this service to dial 2-1-1 for a list of VITA site locations and to make an appointment locally. VITA sites operate during convenient times and free tax assistance is also available in Spanish and Polish at some sites. Tax refunds are available in 7-10 days and may be directly deposited into the filer's bank account. A pre-paid debit card may be available at some VITA sites.

In partnership with United Way Worldwide and the Walmart Foundation, free tax filing for households with an income up to $57,000 is also available. To prepare and file one's own taxes,  online assistance is available at www.myfreetaxes.com/unitedway. At the website, individuals learn if they are eligible for Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and other credits. Individuals may also utilize www.myfreetaxes.com/unitedway with volunteer assistance at VITA sites in New Britain.  Call 860-619-3283 to schedule an appointment. Customer support is accessible for MyFreeTaxes by calling 1-855-MY-TX-Help; open Monday-Saturday from 10am-10pm (ET).