Date: Friday, January 15, 2010
Contact Information:
Laura Heikkila
610-429-9400
financialstability@unitedwaychestercounty.org
Through April 14th, Chester County taxpayers can have their returns prepared for no charge at IRS certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites operated by Life Transforming Ministries in Coatesville, Exton, Phoenixville and West Chester. LTM has been operating VITA sites since 2005 and last year was recognized as Best Supporting Partner in it's IRS territory. Call LTM at (610) 380-9099 to find out more. Many volunteers and partnering organizations work together with LTM.

The Internal Revenue Service, the Chester County Department of Community Development, the United Way Financial Stability Partnership, and Life Transforming Ministries are proud to offer this service to the Chester County community.

By now workers have received their W2's and are planning to complete their 2009 tax returns. The National EITC Awareness Day on January 29th was designed to remind taxpayers that the EITC is one of the largest benefit programs for working families and is also one of the most overlooked tax credits. The US Chamber of Commerce has identified the EITC as the most effective poverty fighting mechanism in the last 40 years, yet the IRS estimates that one in four eligible taxpayers could miss out on this valuable credit. Rural residents, self-employed people such as farmers, childless workers and grandparents raising grandchildren are among those who may be eligible but fail to claim EITC. Many people will qualify for EITC for the first time this year because their income declined or they added children to their families. Taxpayers making as much as $48,279 could qualify for EITC. A married couple with three children and an income ranging from $12,570 to $21,420 could be eligible for the maximum tax credit of $5,657.