LEWISTON — Volunteers and Twin Cities officials say they’re almost ready to start preparing tax returns for low-income residents.
“If the software is ready, I’ll be ready to go on Monday,” K.C. Geiger, a member of the Lewiston-Auburn Cash Coalition, said.
Members of the coalition kicked off their annual “Take the Money, You’ve Earned It” program at Lewiston City Hall on Tuesday morning. The program encourages residents to take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit. That’s a federal benefit for certain low- and moderate-income workers designed to reduce income taxes.
Dot Perham-Whittier, co-chairwoman of the coalition, said volunteers prepared tax returns for 1,300 residents last year. They hope to beat that mark this year.
Geiger said he helps train the volunteer tax preparers. They use software that speeds the process along.
“But we know Congress made some last-minute changes to the tax rules, just before Christmas, so we’re just waiting for those,” he said. “Once those get put into the software, we’ll be ready to go.”
This is the seventh year the cities of Lewiston and Auburn and the Annie E. Casey Foundation have sponsored the program.
This year’s program includes two financial literacy seminars, Perham-Whittier said. Volunteers will present the class, “Getting a good start with your money,” at 2 p.m. Jan. 14 at Lewiston High School’s Aspirations Lab.
A lecture on avoiding predatory lending and other financial traps is scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Lewiston Public Library.
The tax preparation is free of charge, but by appointment only. Lewiston-Auburn residents should call 513-3160 to schedule an appointment.
Volunteers will be preparing tax returns at Lewiston’s Multi-Purpose Center from 3 to 6 p.m. on Mondays, 5 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, 12:30 to 4 p.m. on Fridays and from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.
They’ll be doing returns in Auburn Hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays.
A special push is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 5.
Residents should bring tax forms (W-2s, 1099s, 1098s, Form 8332s, etc.), Social Security numbers for filers and co-filers, valid picture IDs and account information for direct deposit, if applicable. They should also bring the name and address of their child care provider and the provider’s tax identification number if they are applying for the Child/Dependent Care Credit.
To qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit, residents cannot make more than $48,362 for a family, married filing jointly, with three children. They can qualify for credit up to $5,666.
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