VITA – Free Tax Preparation

When people are financially stable, they can make financial decisions that benefit themselves and their families, which, in turn, benefits the community. Being financially stable also puts families in a better position to handle crisis – job loss, illness or other unforeseen expenses.

 

 

Consider Byron, a father of five. A co-worker mentioned that he might qualify for an Earned Income Tax Credit. So, he went to a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site to have his taxes prepared and found out that he was eligible for more than $5,600 in EITC. With that money, he was able to remove mold that had spread through his house, causing one of his children to have headaches and occasional asthma flare-ups.

 

The VITA program is just one way United Way of Acadiana is creating financial stability. In the last two years, this program put approximately $9 million back in the hands of hardworking families through free tax preparation assistance. During that period, volunteers assisted thousands of Acadiana residents in filing their taxes, helping them claim approximately $3 million each year of the nearly $30 million in Earned Income Tax Credit that goes unclaimed annually.