As the income tax preparation season begins, once again Mayor Richard Daley and a number of businesses and community organizations have joined forces to keep Chicago affordable for people of all incomes and backgrounds.
Their goal: to educate residents about the Earned Income Tax Credit and assist low-income families in getting back all they are eligible for from the state and federal governments.
Thousands of workers who are eligible are not getting the credit–either because they haven’t heard about the EITC or do not know how to apply. The EITC is a way to owe less tax and get cash back from the Internal Revenue Service, even if you don’t owe federal income taxes.
Last week, free and confidential tax preparation assistance sites opened in neighborhoods throughout Chicago. The tax preparation sites are coordinated and staffed with professionally trained volunteers from the Tax Counseling Project and the Tax Assistance Program–It Adds Up. The sites offer free tax preparation assistance for families earning less than $33,000.
Two years ago, Daley launched Chicago’s first EITC awareness campaign. Thanks to the efforts of our Chicago business partners, non-profit partners and local officials, previous campaigns have been a great success.
But our biggest challenge remains educating residents about this program and helping them apply for its benefits. Some of the criteria needed to apply for the EITC are:
– A family that earns up to $28,281 with one child.
– A family that earns up to $32,121 with more than one child.
– A person between ages 25 and 64 without kids, and earning less than $10,710.
To find a free income tax preparation location in Chicago, call 311, the city’s non-emergency information line. Outside Chicago, call 312-409-1555 or 888-827-8511. Additional information can be found on the city’s Web site at www.cityofchicago.org.
Or call the Chicago Tax Assistance Center at 312-744-1000 with any questions regarding the EITC or property taxes.
