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It's Your Money, Come and Get It!!!
The Long Island Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Coalition
is a program of HWCLI, in partnership with IRS, Long Island Volunteer Center and is partially funded by Bethpage Federal Credit Union. The Coalition brings together health and human service organizations with government, media and the business sector for a common goal: to help Long Island’s working families achieve financial independence. The Long Island EITC Coalition works to increase the number of residents who receive the EITC. This is achieved through education, publicity, and community-based tax assistance. Individuals, organizations and or corporations interested in; receiving more information about the EITC Campaign, becoming a member of the Coalition, or receiving promotional materials please contact:
Rushka at rtcholakova@hwcli.com or 516-483-1110 xt. 425.
Click on the following for more information:
EITC/VITA Outreach Flyer
EITC ELIGIBILTY FLYER
LI EITC Coalition Overview
Learn more and join the Coalition by clicking here: Long Island EITC Coalition.
You’ve Earned It—
Now Claim It!
Get your Earned Income Tax Credit
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is the most successful anti-poverty initiative
created by the Federal government. The EITC is a federal and state tax credit offering
tax discounts and refunds to working families and individuals. It attempts to help increase
financial stability. Studies show that EITC filers use their refunds to help make ends meet.
Some begin building assets through opening checking and saving accounts. Although
the EITC provides major financial benefits to the working poor, the fact remains that
as many as 25% of eligible taxpayers do not claim the credit. Qualifying Long Islanders
can file retroactively for up to three years, sometimes doubling or tripling refunds.
Full-time and part-time workers, including self-employed workers, who are legally
authorized to work in the United States, are eligible for the tax credit.
All Workers Claiming the EITC Must:
· Have a valid Social Security number
· Not file as “married filing separate”
· Not file Form 2555 or Form 2555-EZ (related to Foreign Earned Income)
· Meet the investment income limitation ($3,100 for 2009)
· Have earned income
· Not be the qualifying child of another person
· Generally, be a U.S. citizen or resident alien for the entire year
|
EITC Eligibility |
Maximum
Income
|
Maximum
Federal
Refund |
Maximum
State
Refund |
Maximum
Combined
Credit |
|
Families with 3 or more qualifying
children |
$43,279
($48,279 MFJ*) |
$5,657 |
$1,697.10 |
$7,354.10 |
|
Families with 2
qualifying children |
40,295
($45,295 MFJ) |
$5,028 |
$1,508.40 |
$6,536.40 |
|
Families with 1
qualifying child |
$35,463
($40,463 MFJ) |
$3,043 |
$912.90 |
$3,955.90 |
|
Individuals:
no qualifying children |
$13,440
($18,440 MFJ) |
$457 |
$137.10 |
$594.10 |
*MFJ: Married Filing Jointly
Historically, the EITC has helped many in making ends meet and moved millions of families out of poverty. In addition, the EITC is successful in boosting our local economy. On average, EITC dollars are spent on necessities such as food, children’s clothes, school supplies or housing. These are federal dollars that go directly back into the local economy, helping to further stimulate our local communities. Unfortunately, it is still highly underutilized. Consider this, in 2008 up to $8 billion in EITC refunds went unclaimed.
File Your Taxes —FREE
Receive your refund in 10 days with any e-file preparation: at NO cost to you
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Sites (VITA)
located all throughout Nassau and Suffolk County, help thousands of individuals each year file their taxes for FREE. If a person worked at any time in 2009 and earned less than approximately $50,000, they can receive FREE tax preparation assistance at a VITA site in their community. Sites start operating as early as mid-January through April 15. IRS certified volunteer tax preparers help you keep 100% of your refund.
DON’T WASTE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY:
Millions of dollars are spent unnecessarily each year when individuals and families pay high fees to commercial tax preparation firms that offer Refund Anticipation Loans (RALs) at an interest rate of 40% to 700%!!! Put your tax refund to work for you! Open a savings account, pay bills, and
improve your credit. Don’t let this opportunity for additional income pass you by.
—Take the Money. You’ve Earned It!
AARP TaxAide Program is also available at many libraries and senior centers.
To find a site, ask your librarian or go to www.aarp.org/taxaide
2010 VITA locations for Long Islanders:
Bethpage Federal Credit Union VITA
Touro VITA
Nassau County VITA
Suffolk County VITA
Economic Opportunity Council VITA
If you need VITA locations for Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Rockland, Staten Island, or Westchester, please contact Rushka at rtcholakova@hwcli.com or 516-505-4425.
Volunteers help families build economic opportunities.
Community leaders from volunteer centers, nonprofits, businesses, government agencies,
schools, and churches build local coalitions to connect targeted low-income communities to
opportunities for free tax preparation. Volunteers across the country work in partnership
with networks of nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies to help low-income
families get the money they deserve under the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).
When local tax coalitions work with eligible families to get this tax credit, families can
build savings, pay off debt, finance a car, start a business, or fund children’s education.
Click here to learn more about becoming involved in EITC, free tax preparation and
asset development opportunities through volunteer engagement.
Interested in Volunteering for VITA, click on the following link for:
VITA Volunteer for Bethpage Federal Credit Union
VITA Volunteer Description
VITA Volunteer Application
VITA Volunteer Handbook
Visit the Long Island Volunteer Center to find out what’s happening in your local community at www.longislandvolunteercenter.org.
WHO WE ARE
Coalition Members
AARP, ACORN, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Child Care Council of Nassau, Child Care Council of Suffolk, Children’s Defense Fund-NY, Clubhouse of Suffolk , Community Development Corporation of Long Island (CDC), Economic Opportunity Council (EOC) of Nassau County, Economic Opportunity Council of Suffolk Council, Education & Assistance Corporation (EAC), Empire Justice Center, Family and Children’s Association , Family Services League, FEGS, HealthPlus , Hispanic Counseling Center, IRS, Island Harvest , Life’s WORC, LIPA REAP, Literacy Nassau, Long Island Cares-The Harry Chapin Food Bank, Long Island Center for Independent Living, Inc. (LICIL), Long Island Council of Churches, Long Island Volunteer Center, Nassau County Department of Mental Health, Nassau County Department of Social Services, Nassau County Legislature, Nassau/Suffolk Law Services Committee, Inc., Nassau University Medical Center, National Grid, Options for Community Living, Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Nassau County, Social Security Administration, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Suffolk County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Suffolk County Department of Health Services, Suffolk County Department of Labor, Suffolk County Legislature, The INN, The Salvation Army, United Way of Long Island, Visiting Nurse Association of Long Island, Washington Mutual, WIC of Nassau County, WIC of Suffolk County of Suffolk County
-JOIN THE COALITION
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