The YWCA Hartford Region will again participate in providing free income-tax services to the needy.
The YWCA’s main branch at 135 Broad St. in Hartford will serve as a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) preparation site from Jan. 29 Â to April 15.
VITA is a joint effort with the Hartford Asset Building Collaborative. The YWCA will be one of 20 participating VITA sites in the Hartford region.
Volunteers sponsored by YWCA Hartford Region are trained and certified to prepare basic tax returns. The VITA program ensures that thousands of individuals and families take full advantage of special credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit. EITC’s often go unclaimed due to the complexity of the forms. EITC credits average $1,400 per household.
In 2010, the Hartford VITA programs served 5,811 filers resulting in a savings of over $1 million in tax preparation fees. In addition, over $3 million in EITC’s were claimed.
Individuals who usually do not file because they do not owe any taxes are encouraged to visit a VITA site to find out if they qualify to receive a tax refund under the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program. All returns are processed electronically, so taxpayers can receive their tax refund quickly and have it directly deposited into their bank account.
VITA hours at YWCA are Tuesdays 3 to 7 p.m., Wednesdays 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. to noon. To schedule an appointment, or for more information please call 211 (Infoline), or YWCA at (860) 525-1163 Ext. 258.  Â
