Tax EZ

National Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day - Jan, 26, 2011

Contact:
Minh Hoang Pham
408.325.5166
mhoang@catholiccharitiesscc.org

Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County’s Tax EZ program processed 40% of Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program’s returns in Santa Clara County for the 2009 tax filing season.

Catholic Charities volunteers processed 1,795 federal tax returns totaling more than $2.5 million in refunds – money that comes back to families in Santa Clara County to help bolster the local economy.

By emphasizing the eligibility of Santa Clara County residents for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, qualified working families could earn up to $4,800 in tax refunds. This year, Catholic Charities’ program helped bring nearly $1 million back to Santa Clara County in EITC funds.

During the past five years Catholic Charities’ Tax EZ program has helped file more than 7,250 federal tax returns that amounted to:

More than $8.6 million being returned to low income individuals and families … and in turn to the local economy

More than $3.7 million in earned income tax credits (EITC) being refunded

An estimated $730,000 in tax preparation costs to the individual and families being saved.

Families participating in the program received free one-on-one multilingual tax preparation and electronic filing, as well as valuable financial education and counseling. These services were provided by community volunteers at seven VITA Catholic Charities locations throughout Santa Clara County.

The VITA program has been funded by the IRS for the past two years. The grants are an IRS initiative designed to promote and support free tax preparation service for the underserved low income populations. These populations include the elderly, disabled, limited English proficient, non-urban and Native American taxpayers. Last year the IRS awarded funds to 147 organizations that planned services in all 50 states.