28 FREE tax prep centers across the city are ready to help Bostonians bring the money home

Today, on National Earned Income Tax Credit Day, Mayor Thomas M. Menino kicked off Boston’s ninth EITC Campaign by announcing the opening of 28 free tax prep centers across the city to assist residents in filing their taxes and claiming the credit. This year, with two additional sites, the campaign’s largest-ever volunteer corps, and a host of new resources available for residents, the Boston EITC Coalition anticipates an even higher turnout. However, awareness of the credit is crucial. Millions of dollars go unclaimed each year, which could otherwise be in the pockets of those who need it the most.

“This is a campaign for working people, and we want to make sure they bring home the money they earned,” said Mayor Menino. “The EITC credit makes it possible to pay bills, make purchases and even save, all which strengthen our City’s economic health. But the credit is only available by filing taxes: our free tax prep centers make the process easy and accessible.”

In addition to helping residents file their taxes and claiming the EITC, the tax prep centers also offer a host of valuable resources:

* With the support of Living Cities, eight credit advising/financial counseling locations are available to assist residents beyond just filing their taxes.

* The Health Information Professionals (HIPster) initiative will continue to serve taxpayers in need of health insurance and related health access services. In support of this important work, the Mayor's Health Line has extended their service hours to provide telephone service during the evenings and weekends of the season when residents need it most.

* On the ground, many organizations have come together to provide one-on-one services to taxpayers in need of affordable health insurance access. Trusted and dedicated organizations like the African Community Health Initiatives (ACHI) program give their time and expertise to be a resource in promoting the health of the City.

* The EITC Ambassadors program provides assistance to residents who are not native-English speakers to ensure they can navigate the tax assistance in their native language.

* Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries has increased its programming to assist tax payers from the disability community to accommodate their needs.

* Centers will provide information related to the upcoming U.S. Census, the results of which have a direct impact upon resources directed into Boston.

Last year’s campaign helped transform thousands of lives and cemented Boston as a national leader in promoting the credit, which is a sum above and beyond the normal tax refund. Nearly 12,000 Boston taxpayers used the campaign to file their taxes and received $19.4 million total, saving an additional $1.6 million in estimated tax prep fees. In conjunction with free tax preparation services, last year 1,500 individuals received credit counseling helping them stabilize their household budgets.

The Boston EITC Coalition consists of many community organizations who work together to provide tax services to low and moderate income Boston residents, so they can take advantage of this opportunity and increase their household income. Click here for a list of Coalition members.

All tax prep sites use E-File, which presents taxpayers with their refund within just ten days, and all sites offer financial counseling and information related to other economic services, including food stamps. The EITC Ambassador Program offers translation services in Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Cape Verdean Creole.

At A Glance

• Eligible residents who worked in 2010 can qualify for up to $5,657, depending on income and family size. The income threshold this year is set at approximately $49,000. For instance, you may be eligible if you are married and have two or more children and earn less than $45,295. If you are single and have two or more children, you need to have earned less than $40,295. To find out if you qualify for the tax credit, call 617.918.5275 or visit Boston Tax Help. • Last year, the Campaign returned almost $19.4 million total tax dollars and served almost 12,000 taxpayers. Through the direct efforts of the EITC Campaign, the dollars returned to hardworking families has increased $2.6 million over the last two years.

• Residents who qualify for the tax credit can go to the tax prep site in their community and have their taxes done for free. All tax prep sites use E-file and allow tax filers to receive their tax refund within 7 to 10 days. They will also receive financial counseling and have a chance to learn about and access economic enhancements such as health care and food stamps.

• The Boston EITC Campaign is a collaboration of government agencies, foundations, community-based, non-profit organizations, as well as the business community. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides free software and training materials to the volunteer sites. Together, the Campaign and the IRS provide training to site staff and volunteers. The Campaign is dedicated to raising more awareness of this important cash benefit for working people. The Campaign in Boston is recognized as a national leader in offering free tax prep sites for qualified EITC recipients and increasing the number of families who access the EITC.

Media Contact: Jessica Shumaker, 617.918.4446.

EITC Hotline: 617.918.5275.

Release Date: January 29, 2010