United Way of Pioneer Valley Recognizes Statewide EITC Campaign

Joins statewide effort to praise tax credit program that supports working families

See coverage on 22News (WWLP Channel 22) at http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/news/Earned-income-tax-credit-awareness

See The Republican’s article on Earned Income Tax Credit at http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/6_million_in_benefits_availabl.html

PIONEER VALLEY, Feb. 1 -- Each year, Pioneer Valley communities lose millions of dollars in lost revenue through unclaimed tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit.

The United Way joins with supporters from across the state to promote awareness of Monday, February 1, as “ Massachusetts ETIC Awareness Day.” 

The Earned Income Tax Credit Program provides working poor and moderate-income families with tax preparation assistance.  The Massachusetts EITC Campaign works with a host of partners to ensure families that qualify for the tax credit file this year. Last year, more than 50,000 working families in Massachusetts failed to apply for the tax credit, leaving an estimated $75 million in unclaimed tax returns.

“The EITC is a great yet underutilized resource…probably the best anti-poverty resource in existence,” said Paul F. Bailey, executive director of Springfield Partners for Community Action.

“Up to 20 percent of eligible taxpayers leave millions of dollars in tax credits left on the table,” said Margaret Miley, executive director of MIDAS, a statewide collaborative of community-based, nonprofit organizations that help working families in Massachusetts build assets and achieve greater economic stability. “At the same time, costs for basic needs like housing and food are on the rise. There are exceptional programs in place to assist area residents with free tax preparation to obtain help in claiming refunds, and we urge people to take advantage of these free programs. This money is put directly back into residents' pockets and into our local economy."

To qualify for EITC services and tax credits, claimants must be qualified working U.S. citizens and legal residents with Social Security numbers. If a legal resident meets all of the qualifications, they are also able to retroactively claim the EITC for a period of up to three years.

A working family with three or more qualifying children filing a joint return and with an income of less than $43,279 ($48,279 married filing jointly) in 2009, may be eligible for up to $5,657 in federal and state credits. A family with one qualifying child and earnings of $35,463 ($40,463 married filing jointly) is eligible for a credit of $3,043. For those without children, a single person earning up to $13,440 or a married couple filing jointly earning up to $18,440 are eligible for $457 in the EITC credits.

For more information and to see if they qualify, individuals and working families can find available assistance centers and services at the following search engine: http://masscashback.ehs.state.ma.us/The MASS 2-1-1 web site at www.mass211help.orgalso lists available assistance centers including area municipal services by typing in “VITA” or “Tax Assistance” into the available search program. Other resources statewide include: www.MassSaves.organd www.masscap.org.

Citizens can also call the United Way’s MASS "2-1-1" health and human service information and referral hotline or go to www.mass.gov/anf/masseitc.    

In the Pioneer Valley, taxpayers can visit the following organizations that provide free tax preparation services through the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program:

-- Springfield Partners for Community Action

-- Valley Opportunity Council Inc., of Chicopee

-- Massachusetts Justice Project

In addition to tax preparation, the VITA sites provide clients with information on financial management so they can make the best decisions about their finances as a whole and how to use their refund.

Community organizations are always looking for volunteers to assist with tax preparation.  Visit the Massachusetts Tax and Asset Building Consortium at http://www.massassets.org/MTAC/ for more information.

The statewide EITC Campaign community/civic partners include the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Massachusetts Association for Community Action (MASSCAP), MassSaves/The Midas Collaborative; the United Way and MASS2-1-1.