BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Media Advisory Verbatim) — United Way of Palm Beach County’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program officially begins on January 28, 2019, offering free and safe income tax preparation services throughout Palm Beach County to those with a 2018 household income of $66,000 or less. VITA now offers three filing options, taxes filed for you, with help or by yourself, online.
FILED For You Full-Service Tax Preparation
Visit one of several VITA sites throughout Palm Beach County and an IRS certified VITA volunteer will prepare and e-file your tax return.
FILED With Help Tax Filing Assistance
Visit select VITA sites where you will file your own tax return online with the support and guidance of an IRS certified VITA volunteer.
FILED Yourself Tax Filing Online
Log on to www.MyFreeTaxes.com and file your own tax return. It’s simple, fast and secure. Have a tax or software related question? Support is available via FAQ.
When visiting a VITA site, taxpayers need to bring the following documents: 2017 tax return, social security cards and birthdates for all family members, all W2 statements for 2018, forms 1099 and 1098, a photo ID and a voided check. Joint returns require both spouses to attend.
Those who earned less than $49,194 may also be eligible for up to $6,431 in Earned Income Tax Credits.
Taxpayers should also note that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires each member of a household to have minimal essential health insurance, an exemption or make a shared responsibility payment. All VITA sites are able to help with this requirement.
The VITA Program helps Palm Beach County taxpayers save over $1.6 million in fees they would have paid had they used a tax-preparation service. Additionally, research shows that taxpayers receiving refunds through returns processed at VITA sites used the money responsibly – to pay off debt, invest in education or housing, or open a bank account.
Last year, this program helped process more than 10,000 income tax returns for lower income households resulting in upwards of $5.5 million in earned income tax credits and $15.4 million in tax returns. A program such as VITA not only helps individuals and families in our community, but it also helps our local economy. Since 2004, VITA has returned approximately $215 million to our community.
Partners of the VITA Program include the Internal Revenue Service, 211 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast, Bank of America, the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners, Third Federal, Wells Fargo Bank, and Citibank.
Visit www.TaxesFiledFree.org or call 2-1-1 for sites or more information.
