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FREE VITA Tax Sites Now Open in Volusia & Flagler Counties
VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program
The Campaign for Working Families has provided free income tax preparation in Volusia and Flagler Counties over the last four years. IRS certified volunteers, trained to identify taxpayer’s eligibility for federal tax credits and to help them file accurate tax returns, staff the tax sites. Many taxpayers who are eligible for free tax preparation also are eligible for the EITC (Earn Income Tax Credit). EITC is one of the best anti-poverty programs offered by the federal government. It was approved by Congress in 1975 in part to offset the burden of Social Security taxes and to provide folks with an incentive to work. When the EITC exceeds the amount of taxes owed, there is a tax refund to those who claim and qualify for the credit. The Internal Revenue Service says that more than $32 billion is available for low-income working families, but up to 20 percent of those who are eligible for this support aren’t aware of it. In the meantime, millions of taxpayers, including low-income families, spend $2 billion on commercial tax preparers each year.
Over $6 million dollars of EITC money goes unclaimed in our two-county area each year.
Over the last four years, the Campaign has recruited volunteers, worked with the IRS to secure training and certification, identified tax site sponsorship, and reached out into the community to create an awareness of the free tax preparation available to the low income working families.
Why do this when there are already available sources for tax preparation?
For one reason, paid tax preparation can cost 25%+ of the total refund and millions of dollars are lost to taxpayers because of predatory interest rates on refund anticipation loans. That in addition to the millions of dollars more lost because of the unclaimed Earned Income Tax Credit creates added financial stress to those who need money the most.
We are happy to report that each year we have increased the number of clients served as well as the total dollars of refunds obtained.
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Campaign for Working Families
VITA STATS - Volusia & Flagler Counties
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Total Sites
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2004
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2005
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2006
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2007
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#Sites
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3
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5
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7
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10 |
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#Returns Filed
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442
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1,172
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1,494
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2,998 |
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Total $ Refunds
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$650,450
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$1,557,466
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$2,003,437
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$2,791,614 |
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Total EITC $ Refunds
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$258,512
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$693,943
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$823,870
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$1,164,095 |
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Total Child Tax $ Refunds
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$112,674
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$216,695
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$304,006
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$401,201
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2007 Economic Impact to community
(Multiply using 2.5 times the original dollars)
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EITC -
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$2,910,238
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Child Tax Credit -
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$1,003,003
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Total Refunds -
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$6,979,035
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Dollars Saved by free tax preparation based on average cost of $150 per return
For Returns: -- $449,700
X 2.5 = community impact = $1,124,250
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Our Total Community Impact for 2007 Tax Season = $8,103,835
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For a detail look by VITA Site, click here
For information about how you can volunteer for VITA, click here.
For information on partnering or supporting our programs, click here.
To find out where you can obtain FREE Tax Preparation, click here.
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