Free tax preparation services are now available for income-eligible taxpayers in eight southwestern Pennsylvania counties this tax season, thanks to the United Way of Allegheny County’s Money In Your Pocket Coalition.
Households earning up to $53,000 a year can get free, in-person assistance with 2014 tax returns from one of more than 300 IRS-certified volunteers. Taxpayers with $60,000 or less in annual income can take advantage of a free online tax preparation service.
Last year, the program served more than 6,700 taxpayers in the Pittsburgh area.
“In Allegheny County alone we were able to bring back $11.3 million in refunds,” said Program Manager Kiandra Foster. “And more than $4.8 million of that were in Earned Income Tax Credits.”
In 2015, the United Way is rolling out the program throughout the region, putting money back in the pockets of taxpayers in Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Greene, Lawrence, Mercer, Washington and Westmoreland counties.
“We actually have 30 tax sites within eight counties," Foster said. "So based on the individual or the family’s location, and what’s going to be convenient for them, we’re able to connect them with the service that’s nearest them.”
Volunteers undergo training and receive certification from the IRS, which also provides financial support for the program. Foster said some are accountants or professional tax preparers, while others are students or professionals from other fields. But they all share two important qualities.
“They are civic-minded community members who have volunteered their time and effort,” Foster said, “and they’ve all been certified by the IRS to prepare taxes this tax season.”
To find out whether they are eligible, taxpayers should call the state’s 2-1-1 information line. From there, qualifying applicants will be directed to a volunteer tax preparer in their area, and will work with that person to set up an appointment.
But Foster urged prospective participants to do so quickly.
“We do have spots that fill up pretty quickly,” Foster said, “because as you can imagine, with a free service, we get a lot of interest.”
