Some low or moderated income families could be eligible for thousands of dollars back from the IRS. It's called an Earned Income Tax Credit or EITC. Studies show one in five eligible individuals fails to claim this money.
Last year, the Community Action Partnership of Kern's Vita Program helped Kern County residents claim $2.5 million in earned income tax credit.
Waiting in line, filling out paperwork and double checking the math. Filing an income tax returns is not exactly fun. But, it's worth the effort for Anthony Olivieri and his son.
"So as long as you fall into a certain tax bracket, then you can qualify for this earned income. Fortunately, I do fall in this certain tax bracket. So I can come down here and take advantage of the services," said Olivieri.
Community Action Partnership of Kern is offering tax assistance for low income families.
Volunteer Sandy Truman says, "A lot of people don't realize that they could qualify for the earned income tax credit or they think that they do when they really don't."
Volunteers are helping folks get through their paperwork at VITA tax office. "
You have to have earned income, so you can't have social security income and no other income of some type and your dependents have to be under the age of 19 or under the age of 21 and full-time students."
Anyone between the ages of 25 and 65 could be eligible. For example, a married couple earning $41,132, filing jointly with one child, would get back $3,094.
Another couple filing a joint income of $18,740 would get back $464.
Anthony Olivieri is looking forward to getting money back. The VITA program helped 4,000 people last year. For more information, call 834-1724
