Volunteer Income Tax Assistance

Why pay to have someone do your taxes when CTI will do them for free? VITA is offered to low-income individuals, and families who qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit. Appointments are scheduled on Wednesday nights (Feb 7 through April 11, 5pm-8pm) and Saturday mornings (Feb 3 through April 14, 9am-12Noon) during tax season. Available by APPOINTMENT ONLY. We will start scheduling appointments on Tuesday, January 16th, 2018. Please call to learn more: 978.654.5676.

VITA Tax Flyer – Includes 2018 Schedule for 2017 Tax Season

MASSCAP PUBLIC POLICY PRIORITIES- FY19 Top Budget Priorities

MASSCAP Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) Site – Business Fact Sheet

MASSCAP Volunteer Tax Assistance Program (VITA) – Fact Sheet Overview

ALERT

Identified Issue
The Internal Revenue Service is aware of a new scheme where criminals, after stealing client data from tax professionals, are filing fraudulent tax returns which include the taxpayers’ real bank accounts for the refund deposits. The fraudulent refunds are deposited into the real taxpayers’ accounts. The criminal subsequently contacts the taxpayers requesting/demanding the funds be returned and instructs the taxpayers how to return the funds. The taxpayers who follow these instructions are sending the money to the actual criminal and not the IRS.
Required Corrective Actions
Taxpayers should be alert to any unusual activity such as receiving a tax refund they did not request.
Taxpayers who receive a direct deposit refund that they did not request (or did not file a tax return for) should take the following steps:
1. Contact the Automated Clearing House (ACH) department of the bank/financial institution where the direct deposit was received and ask the bank or financial institution to return the refund to the IRS.
2. Call the IRS toll-free

LEARN MORE

EITC Client Flyer – Important Announcement: 2016 Refund Delay Notice UPDATE COMING SOON

VITA and ETIC Resources

http://www.eitcoutreach.org/blog/five-ways-to-promote-the-eitc-for-awareness-day/  (nice video in English and Spanish on EITC)

IRS EITC Awareness Toolkit

https://www.eitc.irs.gov/partner-toolkit/eitc-awareness-day/eitc-awareness-day-2

Prosperity Now EITC Awareness Toolkit

https://prosperitynow.org/resources/2018-eitc-awareness-day-toolkit

Tax Credits for Working Families

http://www.taxcreditsforworkersandfamilies.org/resources/

Listen to Chris Santos-Gordon, Director of the Financial Education Center  discuss on WCAP980 radio the opportunities available at the Financial Education Center at Community Teamwork 2/6/18

Important Announcement for Taxpayers who file for the Earned Income Credit 2016

“The IRS reminds taxpayers that a new law requires the IRS to hold refunds claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) until Feb. 15. In addition, the IRS wants taxpayers to be aware it will take several days for these refunds to be released and processed through financial institutions. Factoring in weekends and the President’s Day holiday, the IRS cautions that many affected taxpayers may not have actual access to their refunds until the week of Feb. 27.”

This means that wherever you have your tax return prepared, either with Community Teamwork or a private preparer, the same federal rule applies.  The IRS will hold all EITC refunds until Feb. 15^th no matter where they originated from.

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