News release from the United Way of Allen County:
Free Tax Preparation Results in Record number of Allen County Residents Helped
(August 21, 2014) – Today, United Way of Allen County announced record numbers for the 2013-2014 tax season. This year, 2,566 low- and moderate-income Allen County residents claimed more than $3.2 million in tax refunds thanks to the Free Tax Preparation Program coordinated by United Way of Allen County and the Volunteer Center RSVP. That results in a 13 percent increase in the number of residents helped, compared to last year’s 2,272 residents.
Any family or individual that earned less than $52,000 last year qualified for the Free Tax Preparation program, which is organized by members of the Financial Stability Partnership. IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers helped residents file their taxes and claim available credits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Credits helped families get up to a $5,000 refund.
The Free Tax Preparation program saves residents fees for tax preparation and e-filing. It also ensures that individuals have access to high quality tax services. Highly trained and certified volunteer preparers that consistently rank among the most accurate and reliable in the nation spend 5,100 hours running the program.
“This program continues to grow every year and we are thrilled that Allen County residents are able to keep more of their hard earned money,” said Todd Stephenson, president and CEO of United Way of Allen County. “The money residents save through this program allows them to pay down debt or start an emergency fund, making them more financially stable and makes our community better for everyone.”
“These results are truly amazing and would not even be imaginable without the help of our high quality IRS certified tax preparers volunteer that continue to assist with the program each year,” said Volunteer Center RSVP’s Executive Director, Jean Joley.
Funding for the program is provided by a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program grant from the IRS and by United Way of Allen County.
United Way of Allen County, Volunteer Center RSVP, Community Action of Northeast Indiana, Ivy Tech Community College Northeast, Purdue Cooperative Extension Service, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, University of Saint Francis and RSVP- Auburn are active providers of the program with the support of the Financial Stability Partnership.
About the United Way of Allen County
Established in 1922, United Way of Allen County is a not-for-profit organization that works to strengthen the community through the four building blocks for a good quality of life: education, income, health and basic needs. United Way believes that quality education helps families achieve stable jobs, a safe place to live and good health. For more information, please visit www.unitedwayallencounty.org.
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