Filing Taxes Can Be Scary. United Way Makes It Easy and Free.

Many people are afraid to file their taxes on their own. They worry they’ll make a mistake or miss something that could get them in trouble. For households already managing tight budgets, the fear of doing it wrong and the cost of doing it right is stressful.

United Way of Greater Richmond and Petersburg offers a tiered system of free filing services for anyone earning $69,000 or less. Individuals can choose full-service in-person filing with certified volunteers, a virtual option offering the same high-quality support remotely, or a fully self-guided experience through MyFreeTaxes.com.

Cara Cardotti, Director of Tax Assistance explains “Our program started over 20 years ago so that we could assist our community members in safely filing their tax returns at no cost, make sure they are claiming all tax credits they are eligible for, and receive all of their refunds.”

At both in-person and virtual sites, certified volunteers handle each return. They are then reviewed for accuracy before submission. Customers stay engaged throughout the process, with volunteers helping them understand their own filing documents. “We involve them from start to finish to kind of demystify that process,” Cardotti says.

That personal touch keeps people coming back. “We do have a large percentage of our customers that are repeat, coming back from year to year,” she shares. “They’ve received great service and feel supported in getting their taxes done.”

For people who feel confident navigating the process on their own, MyFreeTaxes provides an easy-to-use platform for filing federal and state returns at no cost. It’s a flexible solution for those with internet access and who are comfortable using digital tools. “If they're already comfortable doing their own taxes,” Cardotti notes, “we want to make sure that they're filing both their federal and state taxes for free, which is a big plus for MyFreeTaxes.”

As Laura Scherler, Senior Director of Economic Mobility at United Way Worldwide, says: 
“You’ve earned your money and we don’t want you to have to pay to get it back. Use whichever free service is best for you.”