Do you feel anxious or fearful during tax season? What if you could experience relief? Or even, dare we say it, joy? Believe it or not, a stress-free tax season can be a reality with help from United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s Free Tax Prep program.
We’ve all been there: sitting across from an intimidating accountant or stressed out from trying to figure it all out on your own. If you don’t feel comfortable asking questions, or are doing it alone, how do you know you’re getting the refund you earned?
United Way’s tax preparers are IRS-certified which means they’re trained to ask questions and uncover tax credits you may not have even known existed. An estimated 20% of eligible families are unaware of credits like EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) – leaving an estimated $38 million unclaimed.
What makes United Way’s tax preparers so different? They have heart. Last year, 480 caring volunteers committed over 18,000 hours to prepare returns for local families.
Families who rely United Way’s service often use their refunds to cover basic needs, but not every story is so simple. When Sara came to United Way for help with her taxes, she told the volunteer she had three children, but the volunteer noticed just two children had been claimed on her previous returns. Turns out, Sara was under the misconception she could only file for two dependents maximum. Thanks to the caring attention and knowledge of the volunteer, Sara’s return was substantially larger than past years.
“We were living paycheck to paycheck and were about to get evicted from our house. Our tax refund made it possible to pay rent and keep a roof over our heads,” Sara said. “When I saw I would be getting almost $3,000 more than last year, I almost cried.”
So, what are you waiting for? Tax season will be over before you know it. Visit bit.ly/FreeTaxPrep19 to learn more or see if you’re eligible for in-person or online services through United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s Free Tax Prep program.
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