The Earned Income Tax Credit is a federal tax refund for eligible working individuals and households. You must have earned income to apply for the EITC. Households that qualify for the EITC could receive a tax credit refund of up to $4,800.

• Information for taxpayers
• Information for volunteers
• Information for the general public

Taxpayers

Do you qualify for the EITC?
Families with one child who earn less than $33,995 in 2008 (or less than $36,995 for married workers) are eligible for a credit up to $2,917.

Families with two children who earn less than $38,646 in 2008 (or less than $41,646 for married workers) are eligible for a credit up to $4,824.

Workers without a qualifying child who earn less than $12,880 in 2008 (or less than $15,880 for married workers) are eligible for a credit of up to $438.

How can the EITC help you?
Each year, low-income families substantially increase their annual income by utilizing the EITC. In fact, the EITC lifts more families out of poverty than any other federal aid program. Here are just a few ways you can use the EITC to become more financially stable:

• Pay down debt
• Start or contribute to a savings account
• Provide for basic necessities like food, shelter, healthcare and clothing for you and your family

How to get the EITC

• File taxes with professional assistance: FREE tax preparation assistance is available at locations throughout the region. Call 2-1-1 to find one near you.
• File taxes on your own, via paper return: Complete the Schedule EIC in the Federal 1040 or 1040A return.
• File taxes on your own, via online return: Use the online I-CAN! EICTM software, available free of charge. Click here to get started.

Volunteers

You can help thousands of families in Southeast Michigan make their way toward financial stability by becoming a volunteer tax preparer. You’ll receive training to become certified and will have the opportunity to work with other volunteers who are committed to helping our region succeed.

Time Commitment
Volunteers are asked to commit to at least 12 hours at tax locations throughout the community.

Positions available

• Tax Preparer (requires 7 to 12 hours of training on top of the volunteer commitment)
• Assistant Tax Site Supervisor (requires two years of experience with the program and 7 to 12 hours of training on top of the volunteer commitment)
• Screener (requires 7 to 12 hours of training on top of the volunteer commitment)
• Greeter/Administrative
• Computer/IT Specialist

To learn more about each position and to register as a volunteer, click here.

For the general public

Why EITC? The EITC credits that go unclaimed by low-income workers represent millionsof dollars of lost revenue that would otherwise boost local economies. By helping people claim this and other important tax credits, we can provide families with the ability to move toward financial stability, which will only have a positive effect on our local economy.

What we’re doing: United Way formed the Regional Asset Building Coalition, which works hard to help families save and build assets. The coalition and its partners provide free tax preparation services through the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program at locations throughout the community. The free tax preparation services we offer help families make the most of their tax refunds by helping them avoid using a paid tax preparer or predatory tax service. To run these sites, the coalition relies on hundreds of volunteers each year.

In addition to tax preparation, the VITA sites offer us the opportunity to provide clients with information on financial management so they can make the best decisions about their finances as a whole and how to use their refund. This includes information about credit/debt management and the dangers of predatory lending and payday loans.

Regional Asset Building Coalition Partners: AARP, Accounting Aid Society, Bank of America, Community Action Agency, Flagstar Bank, Internal Revenue Service, Macomb County Asset Building Coalition, The Tax Credit Initiative Coalition of Oakland and Livingston Counties, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, Wal-Mart Foundation, Washtenaw Asset Building Coalition, and Wayne County Asset Building Coalition.