Source: Fox56.com
January 25, 2017
By Jade Jarvis
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WOLF) -- Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day is this Friday and the United Way of Wyoming Valley wants to ensure that families in our area will receive the tax credit they earned over the last year.
They’re teaming up with the Commission on Economic Opportunity, which is the lead IRS agency in Luzerne County, and is one of their initiatives to help support reducing childhood poverty in the Wyoming Valley.
Dave Ritter, Commission on Economic Opportunity, said, “The EITC program is part of a tax filing which families, working families who qualify, children can apply for. The program is going to be opening up February 1 of this year.”
So how do you qualify?
According to the IRS, you must have earned income meaning you work for someone who pays you or you own or run a business or farm.
Eligible applicants must also meet certain basic rules, with or without a qualifying child.
Some families eligible for the earned income tax credit can receive up to about $6200 dollars this year, which can help them pay for food, clothing, and other necessary items.
The United Way is funding the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, which helps families prepare their taxes.
Those tax preparing services are handled by the Commission on Economic Opportunity.
And it’s the second year that the two organizations have teamed up.
Bill Jones, President & CEO, United Way of Wyoming Valley, said, “Last year 124 families took advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit and the overall refund was nearly $400,000 for all of those families.”
In addition to helping families in need, the program also helps train and certify community volunteers to file EITC applications.
To contact the Commission on Economic Opportunity to take part in the VITA program and apply for the EITC, call 570-825-0968.