Effort Underway to Get the Word Out About Tax Credits

Free tax-help program and Taxpayer Bill of Rights focus of news conference

EITC website

Last year, Westchester County helped 719 low- or moderate-income residents get income tax refunds of more than $3.2 million. This year, the county is hoping to do even better.

The program to help residents fill out forms to obtain the Federal and State Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC) will be launched by County Executive Andy Spano Thursday (Feb. 1) at 12 noon at a press conference at the County’s One Stop Employment Center, 143 Grand St., White Plains.

“We helped 719 people last year collectively get $3.2 million in federal and state tax refunds – an average of $4,450 per person,” Spano said. “The program is expanding every year, but we still need everyone’s help to get the word out.”

People seeking assistance should call 1-866-914-EITC or 2-1-1 to make an appointment for the free tax help; they are asked not to show up at any of the sites without an appointment.

The press conference location is one of four sites where the county will provide free assistance in filling out the tax forms. In addition to White Plains, the sites are in Yonkers, Mount Vernon and Peekskill.

Spano will be joined at the press conference by volunteer tax preparers, a representative of the Internal Revenue Service, several local businesses and community-based organization, as well as some people who were helped last year. Spano will also discuss the county’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights, designed to protect all taxpayers.

The EITC is a tax credit available to people with maximum household incomes of $38,000. Eligible people can receive a credit of up to $6,100 on their 2006 tax return. The amount a family gets varies depending on the number of children in the household and the amount of earnings. (See chart at the end of this release.) The EITC can supplement the wages of low income earners by reducing taxes for those who qualify.

The county is using various means to get the word out to people of modest incomes who might qualify for the program. This includes brochures, bus posters and public service announcements. Further information is also available at westchestergov.com/eitc.
These services will be available from now until April 14. The hours of operation at each location will vary to accommodate the needs of targeted populations and include daytime hours as well as evenings and some weekends.

THE EITC
The IRS estimates that as many as 11,000 eligible Westchester residents have failed to apply for this significant tax credit – either because they didn’t know about it or were unable to fill out the appropriate IRS forms, as well as a similar state form that qualifies a person for a credit on state taxes.
To change this, Westchester has expanded a campaign it began three years ago.

• To educate the public, the county is using outbound calling, public service announcements, bus cards, brochures and flyers, many of them in Spanish, as well as a website (www.westchestergov.com/eitc).
   
• To help people determine if they qualify, the county has set up a special hotline: 1-866-914-EITC.
   
• To help people fill out the needed forms, the county has recruited and trained volunteers. These volunteers, who are certified by the IRS.

This initiative is a collaborative effort of the following county departments and community organizations: Office of the County Executive; the departments of Social Services, Consumer Protection, and Senior Programs and Services; Educational Opportunity Center of Westchester, Westchester Chapter of the AARP, SER of Westchester, WestCOP, Community Capital Resources, Westchester Community College, The Volunteer Center and the United Way and 2-1-1 Hudson Valley Region. The Business Council of Westchester and the SUNY Small Business Development Center have played a significant role in getting businesses to offer this service as a benefit to their employees.

TAX PREPARER LEGISLATION & TAXPAYER BILL OF RIGHTS
Spano  used the occasion of the EITC press event to remind people of the county’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights. (This can be found at www.westchestergov.com/consumer or by calling 995-2155.)

This legislation requires tax preparers to disclose the address and phone number at which they may be contacted during the year and to provide clients with the county’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights, which details the rights of consumers to know the qualifications of the preparer. The Bill of Rights also mandates disclosure of the fees and interest that will be charged for a loan against a refund that a tax preparer may offer. It also includes advice to the taxpayer (e.g. never send cash to the government; never allow a refund to be sent to the tax preparer, etc.).

The law is enforced by the Department of Consumer Protection. First-time offenders will be given a warning. Second-time offenders can be fined $500. After that, violators may be fined $1,000 for each offense.

EITC CHART OF BENEFITS