Made less than $60k in 2022? United Way is offering free tax prep services

Staff report
·5 min read

Internal Revenue Service-certified volunteers will be at nine in-person sites in Brown, Monroe and Owen counties to help residents file taxes. Anyone making less than $60,000 a year is eligible for free help filing federal and state tax returns, according to a news release from United Way of Monroe County, a sponsor of the program.

Tax preparation is provided free of charge and volunteers work one-on-one with community members to ensure they receive 100% of their refund, including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) if eligible.

The locations for free tax preparation services are:

  • Bloomington: 5-8 p.m. Wednesdays through April 12 at Bloomington City Hall, 401 N. Morton St.; 5-8 p.m. Thursdays through April 13 at Broadview Learning Center, 705 W. Coolidge Dr.; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays and Fridays through April 14 at Endwright East in College Mall, 2894 E. Third St.; 6-9 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays through March 28 at IU Maurer School of Law, 211 S. Indiana Ave.; 1-4 p.m. Wednesdays, 5-8 p.m. Thursdays and 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays through March 10 at Ivy Tech Community College, 200 Daniels Way; 2-6 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays and 2-5 p.m. Fridays through April 14 at Monroe County Public Library 303 E. Kirkwood Ave.

  • Ellettsville: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Mondays and 2-5 p.m. Wednesdays through April 12 at 600 W. Temperance St.

  • Brown County: Drop off only at the Brown County Library, 205 Locust Lane, through April 12.

  • Owen County: Noon-3 p.m. Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays through April 2 at Owen County Library, 10 S. Montgomery St.

Some sites are first come, first served, others require an appointment. Visit www.monroeunitedway.org/FreeTaxes for more information.

Additionally, area residents with a combined Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $72,000 or less can file online for free from the comfort of their homes or anywhere with an internet connection. Visit the United Way website to choose the right software option.

In 2022, the Free Community Tax Service program brought together 43 volunteers to help local residents file 940 federal returns, saving clients as much as $429,580 in tax preparation fees and bringing back more than $1,414,175 in refunds and credits, at six full-service VITA sites managed by United Way, plus two completely virtual sites managed by AARP/TCE. Clients reported using those funds and the Earned Income Tax Credits to pay for food, clothing, bills, rent, and to put toward savings. Earned Income Tax credits went to 170 filers.

Amy Leyenbeck, community impact director at United Way of Monroe County, said, “We are glad for the opportunity to continue to offer this important service to our community. We know how critical these refunds and credits are to our clients and in bringing back money to be spent supporting our local economy. I am continually amazed by the dedicated volunteers who help residents file with the free tax service. Now more than ever people are going to be relying on their tax refunds and credits for financial assistance during this difficult economy. We are grateful that our clients trust us with their tax returns.”

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) can result in a significant income boost — up to $6,935 for those who qualify. The EITC is a refundable federal income tax credit for low- and moderate-income working individuals and families. A tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction of taxes owed. Since it is a refundable credit, when the EITC exceeds the amount of taxes owed, it results in a tax refund to those who claim and qualify for the credit.

Unfortunately, 1 out of 5 people who are eligible don’t claim their credit. Claiming the EITC is particularly important at a time when more workers may qualify due to reduced incomes. In order to claim the EITC, residents must file their tax returns, even if they are not required to file for another reason. Luckily, United Way’s tax volunteers are trained to ensure everyone who is eligible can access the EITC and any other potential credits.

Bilingual Tax Preparation Assistance

The Free Community Tax Service team is partnering with the City of Bloomington to provide a full-service Spanish Language tax site. Spanish-speaking residents can file their taxes at this site with a certified bilingual volunteer, making the filing process much smoother and less intimidating. Appointments can be made in Spanish by calling (812) 349-3860.

Nonresident Taxpayers

This year, no locations are certified to assist with preparation for nonresident taxpayers. Taxpayers who know the number of days they were present in the United States in 2020, 2021, and 2022, can calculate their residency status for tax purposes at www.monroeunitedway.org/freetaxes-residency. Nonresidents with any relation to Indiana University can contact the Office of International Services for assistance: www.ois.iu.edu.

Community Partners

Along with United Way of Monroe County and Financial Stability Alliance, partners of the Free Community Tax Service include 2-1-1, AARP, Area 10 Agency on Aging Endwright Center East, Brown County Public Library, City of Bloomington, First Financial Bank, Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Ivy Tech Community College-Bloomington, MCCSC Broadview Adult Learning, Monroe County Public Library, and community volunteers.

For more information

To learn more about the Free Community Tax Service, free tax preparation sites dates and times, a tax preparation checklist, the EITC, and to see if they qualify, residents can visit www.MonroeUnitedWay.org/FreeTaxes.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: United Way offers free tax prep in Brown, Monroe and Owen counties