Jan. 31, 2008

For the 4th consecutive year, Westchester County will be providing low- and moderate-income residents with tax preparation services, designed to make sure people get credits they are entitled to.

Last year, the county  helped 2,370 residents get income tax refunds of more than $3.2 million. This year, the goal is to do even better, as County Executive Andy Spano launched the annual effort to assist with the federal and state Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC).

Spano was joined at a news conference by representatives of the IRS and volunteer tax preparers Thursday  at the County’s One Stop Employment Center, 143 Grand St., White Plains.  Customers of the service will also be on hand. 

“Each year, we have done better and better with getting the word out about this tax credit,” said Spano. “I urge people who think they may qualify to call and find out more.”

He added, “Everyone in Westchester should also be aware of our Taxpayers Bill of Rights, designed to protect all taxpayers who may have their returns prepared by paid professionals.

The EITC can supplement the wages of low income earners by reducing taxes for those who qualify. Eligible people can receive a credit of up to $6,397 on their 2007 tax return. EITC and other tax credits are  available to people based on their household income, filing status and household size.

The press conference location is one of five where the county will provide free assistance in filling out the tax forms. In addition to two sites in White Plains, the other sites are in Yonkers, Mount Vernon, Ossining and Peekskill. Taxpayers with household income below $40,000 are eligible for this free service.

People should call United Way’s 2-1-1 for exact locations and business hours. While appointments are recommended -- so a person knows what information to bring --  walk-in are acceptable.

In addition to EITC, there are other tax credits available to families, such as the Child Tax credit, Education Credits, and Dependent Child Care Credits. The amount a family gets varies on your filing status, the number of children in the household and the amount of earnings. (See chart at the end of this release.) 

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 thousands of 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  public service announcements, bus cards, brochures and flyers, many of them in Spanish, as well as a section of its Web site. 
•  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 AND TAXPAYER BILL OF RIGHTS
The  county’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights  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.