Feb. 2, 2015 -- “Fast! Free! Certified!” These simple words welcomed community members at events that raised awareness of the Free Community Tax Service during Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day on Friday, January 30th.
United Way of Monroe County, the Financial Stability Alliance for South Central Indiana, and partners successfully launched this year’s Free Community Tax Service season with five outreach events in Monroe and Owen counties. Free Community Tax Service volunteers greeted customers at the IGA in Ellettsville and chatted with booklovers at Monroe County Public Library, talked with residents at Bloomington Housing Authority and welcomed patrons at Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, a United Way member agency. Free Community Tax Service volunteers also met with people visiting the Owen County Public Library on Saturday, January 31st.
These events joined national efforts to raise awareness of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and local free tax assistance.
The EITC is a refundable federal income tax credit for low- and moderate-income working individuals and families. Unfortunately, 1 out of 5 people who are eligible don’t claim their credit. When the EITC is claimed, it can result in a significant income boost - up to $6,143 for those who qualify! Claiming the EITC is particularly important at a time when more workers may qualify due to reduced incomes. In order to claim the EITC, residents must file their tax returns, even if they are not required to file for another reason.
To help claim the EITC, free tax preparation will be provided at Free Community Tax Service sites in Monroe and Owen counties through April 15th. IRS-certified volunteers will help low- and moderate-income residents file their federal and Indiana tax returns for free, claim the EITC if eligible, and receive 100% of their refund quickly and easily – usually in just 10 days or less. The Free Community Tax Service is offering eight full-service sites, a self-service site, mobile sites, and online filing.
Full-service sites include the Monroe County Public Library Main and Ellettsville Branches, Broadview Learning Center, Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Ivy Tech Community College-Bloomington, South Central Community Action Program, the Twin Lakes Recreation Center, and the Owen County Public Library. A self-service site is hosted at WorkOne and mobile sites will visit Bloomington City Hall, Bloomington Housing Authority, LifeDesigns, New Leaf-New Life, Positive Link, Recovery Engagement Center, St. Paul’s Catholic Church, and Stone Belt. Area residents with a combined income of $60,000 or less may file state and federal returns at no charge online – anytime, anywher. For more information about the Free Community Tax Service, click here.
This year, the Free Community Tax Service, in partnership with the City of Bloomington Community and Family Resources, is expanding services available to Spanish speakers. Bilingual IRS-certified tax preparers or interpretive services will be available by appointment at several full-service sites and the mobile site at St. Paul’s Catholic Church. Spanish language service is also available first come first served at the Bloomington City Hall mobile site. More information about Spanish language FCTS services is available at www.monroeunitedway.org/impuestos.
According to Barry Lessow, United Way Executive Director, “The Free Community Tax Service ensures that low- and moderate-income residents have an opportunity to increase their financial stability. We are grateful to all the partners who have come together to provide this important service for Monroe and Owen County residents. Thanks to a $25,400 grant from the Internal Revenue Service and $27,500 from the Walmart Foundation, we have been able to strengthen these free services in 2015.”
In 2014, the Free Community Tax Service sites and nearly 200 volunteers filed 3,138 federal and state returns for free, which saved low- and moderate-income Monroe and Owen county residents as much as $900,000 in tax preparation fees and brought back millions of dollars in refunds and credits to our community.
To learn more about the free tax preparation sites, EITC, and to see if they qualify, residents can call 2-1-1 or visit www.MonroeUnitedWay.org/FreeTaxes.
Along with the United Way of Monroe County and the Financial Stability Alliance for South Central Indiana, partners of the Free Community Tax Service include 2-1-1, AARP, ASCEND, Bloomington Housing Authority, Broadview Learning Center, City of Bloomington, Ellettsville Branch Library, Indiana Legal Services, Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Internal Revenue Service, Ivy Tech Community College-Bloomington, LifeDesigns, Monroe County Public Library, New Leaf–New Life, Owen County Public Library, Positive Link, Recovery Engagement Center, South Central Community Action Program, St. Paul's Catholic Church, Stone Belt, Twin Lakes Recreation Center, Walmart, WorkOne Bloomington, and community volunteers.
United Way of Monroe County is a nonprofit organization that improves people’s lives by addressing critical needs today and working to reduce those needs tomorrow. Through its Community Action Fund and grant initiatives, United Way works with 25 member agencies and community partners to focus resources on the building blocks for a better life: education, earning, and the essentials. For more information, visit www.MonroeUnitedWay.org.
The Financial Stability Alliance for South Central Indiana increases collaboration and information sharing among financial stability partners and service providers in Brown, Greene, Monroe, and Owen counties. FSA, in partnership with United Way of Monroe County, publishes and distributes a monthly e-Newsletter, hosts events and trainings, and works to expand financial stability programs in the region. For more information, visit www.FinancialStabilityAlliance.org.
>> Free Community Tax Service Locations, Dates, Times, and Document Infomation