Released: January 30, 2006

ACORN offers free tax assistance in 75 cities

Source: ACORN

In association with the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, this tax season ACORN Tax Centers nationwide will be offering free tax preparation for low and moderate income taxpayers, offering an alternative to traditional paid preparers. The ACORN Tax Center can:

• electronically file current year taxes, providing fast refunds for taxpayers who would like their refunds direct-deposited into their bank account, usually in as few as 10 days.
• determine if families are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which averaged $1,789 for eligible families in 2004.
• save taxpayers an average of $250 on combined fees for tax preparation and Refund Anticipation Loans (RALs).

According to Missing Millions, an ACORN report released in 2005, somewhere between 15%-20% of eligible households do not claim the EITC, a federal anti-poverty program that provides assistance to low and moderate income taxpayers.

This year also marks the roll-out of the ACORN Benefits Access Program, a web-based computer program that will provide detailed screening services for low and moderate income families to determine their eligibility for a host of state and federal assistance programs.

You can learn more about the tax assistance at the Acorn web site.