Tax help offered throughout Tri-parishes

More than 26,000 qualified Tri-parish tax filers stand to receive in excess of $65 million in Earned Income Tax Credits, but many do not realize they are entitled to reclaim this portion of federal taxes they paid into the system during the past year.

According to Internal Revenue Service spokeswoman Dee Stepter, the EITC is intended to benefit persons earning $49,058 or less a year. “Although an estimated four out of five workers and families get the credit, one is five still miss out on it either because they don’t know to claim it, or they don’t file a return at all,” she said.

Stepter explained that each year marital or parental statuses as well as taxable income levels change for millions of Americans. In turn many do not know what credits or benefits they are eligible to receive. “The EITC varies by income, family size and filing status,” she said.

Workers who earned $49,058 in wages, self-employment or other complete forms of income during 2010 could receive larger refunds if they qualify for the EITC, or could have assistance paying an otherwise outstanding federal tax bill by claiming it.

Stepter said in best-case situations, a qualified tax return filer with no children could receive an EITC of $464 while the filer with three or more children could receive the maximum EITC of $5,751.

Last year, those claiming the EITC credit in St. Mary Parish secured more than $18 million to their benefit. Lafourche Parish tax filers taking the EITC had more than $19 million credited on their returns, and qualified Terrebonne Parish filers secured a more than $27 million in EITC.

Stepter also announced this week that the IRS is offering free tax services to filers earning less than $48,000 last year through its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.

Volunteers working through Catholic Charities and in conjunction with the IRS are offering tax help to qualified filers between now and the April 17 deadline. The only dates the service is not being offered are on Mardi Gras Day (Feb. 21) and during the Writers Conference (March 31).

The Lafourche Community of Concerned Citizens will offer free earned income tax credit preparation through April 17 for families earning less than $50,000 a year.

Free electronic filing is being offered at library branches in Bayou Blue, Galliano, Larose, Raceland and Thibodaux; it is also available at the Grand Isle Community Center.

LCCC in a non-profit organization that works to ensure the right to full citizenship support and access to community-based services for low-income youth and their families.

For more information, call (985) 413-1048.

Prepare now for 2012 with St. Mary Community Action, as the agency launches its annual programs to help the heads of low income and senior citizen households in filing their 2011 taxes.

CEO Almetra Franklin said the program is part of the agency’s mission, “People helping people to make a difference in their lives.”

Prospective tax payers must call 337-828-5703 to make an appointment. They must also bring all of the following: W-2 Forms, Social Security Cards, and birth certificates for all dependents being claimed, last year’s tax return, a photo id, and receipts for child care along with the provider’s name, address and tax id number.

The locations to file taxes are: the St. Mary Neighborhood Service Center, 330 Cardinal Street, Morgan City; the St. Mary Neighborhood Service Center, 203 Martin Luther King, in Baldwin; and the St. Mary Agency Office headquarters, 1407 Barrow Street in Franklin.

Franklin said taxpayers may also qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), if their earned income and adjusted gross income are less than: $45,060 ($50,270 married filing jointly) with three or more qualifying children; $41,952 ($47,162 married filing jointly) with two qualifying children; $36,920 ($42,130 married filing jointly) with one qualifying child; and $13,980 ($19,190 married filing jointly) with no qualifying children.

She said the 2011 maximum credit is $5,891 with three or more qualifying children, $5,236 with two qualifying children, $3,169 with one qualifying child, and $475 with no qualifying children.