Goodwill, the National Disability Institute and United Way Worldwide have launched MyFreeTaxes with support from the Walmart Foundation to offer free federal and state tax preparation and filing services both online and in-person to eligible Americans nationwide, along with Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) education.
On-site tax coaches will help individuals and families with incomes of $57,000 or less file for free using MyFreeTaxes.com. In addition, the partners expect to assist more than 210,000 people with disabilities file their taxes for free and continue to build the capacity of the MyFreeTaxes network to expand outreach to taxpayers with disabilities.
“In this difficult economic climate, every dollar counts. Each year, millions of Americans pay hundreds of dollars to file their taxes, without knowing they may be eligible for free filing. In addition, millions of Americans may not receive their maximum tax refund because they aren’t aware of the tax credits for which they may be eligible. To help ease the financial burden of the tax preparation process and make sure individuals and families receive their full tax refund, the Walmart Foundation is pleased to partner with leading nonprofits to offer MyFreeTaxes, a completely free tax-filing service,” said Michelle Gilliard, Senior Director, Walmart Foundation.
“Providing free tax preparation and filing assistance to eligible individuals and families nationwide is a way to bring people into the tax system and educate them about their rights and options. At the same time, we’re making a difference for taxpayers by helping them access vital tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Our relationship with our partners, including MyFreeTaxes, is a win for taxpayers,” said Peggy Bogadi, Commissioner, Wage & Investment Division, Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
MyFreeTaxes national and local partners offer free federal and state tax preparation and filing assistance online with tax filing software provided by H&R Block® and in-person at sites in local communities. MyFreeTaxes partners also provide taxpayers with eligibility information about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and other tax credits to help them keep more of what they earn.
Since 2009, MyFreeTaxes has helped more than 4.5 million families file free federal and state tax returns. The groups involved expect to assist 210,000 people with disabilities to file their taxes for free and expand knowledge of available tax credits this year.
MyFreeTaxes has also helped more than 610,000 taxpayers with disabilities file their returns.
Services are offered online at www.myfreetaxes.com or at various community locations. The website has a chat feature available. To talk to someone about the service, call 1-855-My-Tx-Help. In the Twin Cities region, call United Way 211 for help.
