Do you hate to file taxes but like to get a refund? Tax season is upon us and we want you to know that there are resources available to help you file your taxes for free and get a tax credit/refund. We know that families with low incomes were hit the hardest by the pandemic and tax credits are one important way to get money back to you to help you through this crisis–and beyond.
There are a couple points we want to share with you:
- Even if you didn’t earn a lot in 2020, you can still file and get money back. You can also get money back for previous tax years.
- You can get free, IRS-certified support for filing you taxes. You can file taxes for free, get remote assistance, or find sites for in-person assistance and drop off at myfreetaxes.org. or for local help https://uwba.org/tax-help/ (site will be updated shortly and 211 can help direct filers to help)
- Workers with ITINs (Individual Tax Payer Identification Numbers) instead of Social Security Numbers are eligible for the first time for the California EITC and the Young Child Tax Credit!
- With federal and state EITC refunds, you can receive as much as $8,000—and the average refund is around $3,000.
If you have trouble navigating the online sites, please feel free to call 211 and they can help direct you to an organization that will provide assistance. If you want to learn more about the EITC, First 5 Contra Costa has dedicated a corner of its website to EITC that is in both English and Spanish.
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