This tax season, 12,267 tax filers in central and northeastern Connecticut received $28,732,417 in refunds and credits thanks to the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and MyFreeTaxes.com programs.
The VITA program offers appointments with IRS-certified volunteers who help people accurately complete and submit their federal and state tax returns, claim applicable tax credits and get financial resources to help them plan for the future. MyFreeTaxes.com is an online tax filing software to help people file their federal and state taxes.
In partnership with the IRS, The Village for Families & Children, Human Resources Agency of New Britain and United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut provided orientation, training and support to volunteers who provided tax preparation at no cost and connected filers with opportunities to become more financially secure.
Free tax help was available between January 24 to April 17 to individuals and families with incomes up to $54,000 at 24 VITA sites in the Greater Hartford and Windham regions and 5 VITA sites in New Britain.
The region’s 500 VITA volunteers contributed 35,500 hours of volunteer time – with an estimated value of $1 million.
Individuals earning less than $66,000 were able to file both federal and state taxes through MyFreeTaxes, a free, online tax filing product offered by United Way Worldwide and H&R Block.
The IRS predicts that 20 percent of eligible taxpayers don’t claim their federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Tax filers using the VITA and MyFreeTaxes programs received more than $7 million from the EITC this tax season.
The 2018 VITA and MyFreeTaxes program partners are: Community Accounting Services; Human Resources Agency of New Britain; Internal Revenue Service; The Village for Families & Children, United Way of CT 2-1-1, and United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut. The program is generously supported by the American Savings Foundation; Farmington Bank Community Foundation; Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the IRS, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut and Webster Bank.