United Way of Greater Newark (UWGN) and Newark Asset Building Coalition (NABC), announced that they will be providing free digital and in-person tax-filing services to support low-and moderate-income individuals and families for the 2020 tax season. Through the online platform GetYourRefund, as well as five in-person drop-off locations around greater Newark, initiative partners will offer contactless Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), an IRS-sponsored program that provides free certified tax preparation assistance, for New Jersey residents from February 1st – April 15th.
The Newark Free Tax Prep initiative will provide tax-filers with access to IRS-certified VITA tax professionals, ensuring the same quality review process so filers can receive maximum returns this tax season. UWGN will also offer phone consultations to all online GetYourRefund filers during the intake process to provide confidential one-on-one support. The NABC is a coalition focused on promoting financial independence and stability to local residents and will provide these VITA services at community sites across Newark for the fourth year in a row.
“Last year was an especially challenging financial year for many families, which will make filing taxes this year particularly tricky. For that reason, we are excited to continue offering our vital tax-filing services for free, both in-person and digitally,” said Catherine Wilson, President and CEO of United Way of Greater Newark. “We know tax-filing provides residents with critical tax credits and we’re proud to be able to offer these services to our community members once again.”
“Free tax preparation services and tax credits like the EITC are critical tools that can help eligible workers strengthen their financial stability,” said Gregory Schiefelbein, Citi Community Relations New York Tri-State Market Leader. “Through Citi’s collaboration with the Newark Asset Building Coalition and the Citi Foundation’s partnership with Code for America, we are helping to promote and expand access to free, high-quality tax preparation and other essential resources to empower eligible Newark residents to make the most of tax season.”
In the 2019 tax year, VITA tax clients served by the NABC received tax returns of over $12 million, of which over $4.5 million was through the Earned Income Tax Credit. Individuals who are interested in using these services can complete and securely upload their tax documents. Then, applicants will be connected with a VITA team member who will remotely prepare, review, and file tax returns with the taxpayers’ consent. Those who prefer contactless services offered by local community organizations can drop off their tax documents to several sites around Greater Newark.
For more information about the NABC services and drop-off locations, visit: http://www.nabcnj.org/newark-free-tax-prep/.
To file your taxes through GetYourRefund, visit: www.getyourrefund.org/UWGN.
