CLEARFIELD – The holidays are likely at the forefront of our minds these days.
Family get-togethers, holiday parties and other events are being planned and carried out, and while we probably don’t want to think about it, inevitably, the tax man will cometh.
In January, employers will begin to send out tax documents. Before you decide to pay a preparer, a Clearfield organization wants you to know that you could qualify to have your taxes done for free.
The Clearfield County $ In Your Pocket Campaign is entering its second year, a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program coordinated through the Internal Revenue Service.
Last year, Central Pennsylvania Community Action Inc. and their partners helped 115 families to prepare returns at one site.
This year, four sites in Clearfield, DuBois and Philipsburg are scheduled to be open, and organizers are hoping to help 350 families or more.
The only requirement is that the family’s income must be under $39,000.
CPCA will begin to take calls in the first week of January to schedule appointments.
Without the help of volunteers and other partners in the effort, Tammy Litten, campaign co-chair, said, the program would not have happened, though.
“It’s going to take the community to keep this alive,” she said.
All of the volunteers at each location are certified by the IRS, and those who use the program will have their tax return submitted before they even leave the site. Also, all income and other personal information goes home with the family, according to Lori Lowe, campaign co-chair. The bonus is that the taxes will be filed electronically and returns can be expected within about a week.
“We want to make sure people get all of the credits they’re eligible for,” said Litten. She noted that of the 115 families who used the program last year, $146,877 in refunds were received.
“That’s a lot of money coming into the county, and it didn’t cost these families a thing.”
Both Lowe and Litten pointed out that 70 percent of Clearfield County’s residents used a paid preparer in 2003, the most recent year for which statistics were available. Litten said it’s not known how many of those people paid a premium for what is called a tax refund anticipation loan. When those are used, families pay to receive their refund right away, and many might not know they can get it in as little as seven days for free.
“A family might think, ‘Well, we’re getting back $4,000, so what if we’re giving that paid preparer $300 of it,’” Litten said.
“Unfortunately, it’s that same family that, throughout the year could have used that $300.”
For information on how to become a volunteer, call CPCA at 765-1551. Those who would like to partner with CPCA in the effort also urged to contact Lowe at that number.
To schedule a time for tax preparation, call CPCA after the first of the year.
Note that the site will prepare several types of tax returns but cannot calculate the profit or loss from a business, rental income or business expenses. If you have questions on whether your taxes can be done at one of the sites, call CPCA.
Partners:
Northwest Savings Bank
Clearfield Bank & Trust Co.
Stoneworkers Credit Union
Clearfield County Board of Assistance
And the four sites:
Hyde Wesleyan Church, Clearfield, which will have daytime hours on Thursdays
DuBois Business College, which will have Monday evening hours
South Hills School of Business and Technology in Philipsburg, which will have Thursday hours during the lunch period
Central Pennsylvania Community Action Inc., which will have Tuesday evening hours
GantDaily Editor’s Note: Northwest Savings Bank of Clearfield recently made a donation to Central Pennsylvania Community Action Inc. to support the second year of Clearfield County $ In Your Pocket. To read about that donation, click here.
