UNITED WAY OF THE FLORIDA KEYS CONCLUDES FREE TAX PREPARATION PROGRAM
Florida Keys – United Way of the Florida has concluded the third successful year of providing two options for free tax preparation throughout Monroe County. The VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program is completely volunteer-run and assists qualified taxpayers with completion of their annual tax return, to ensure that families receive every available benefit. In addition to the VITA program, local taxpayers had a second option, MyFreeTaxes.com, providing free, online preparation.
VITA volunteer tax preparers are IRS-certified and trained to complete simple tax returns, including identifying available credits for those who earned less than $55,000 in 2018. There is absolutely no charge to the taxpayer for this service. UWFK was pleased to offer the VITA program again this year through partnership with the Internal Revenue Service, as well as grants from Volunteer Florida and Wells Fargo.
Highlights of this year’s tax season include:
- 219 tax returns prepared (193 VITA and 26 MyFreeTaxes.com)
- 17 volunteers working 528 hours total
- $31,856 in estimated tax preparation fees saved
- $145,980 in total refunds generated through VITA
- 12 tax preparation sites throughout Monroe County
- Client’s average Adjusted Gross Income $24,599
“United Way of the Florida Keys is thrilled to conclude yet another successful VITA season,” said Leah Stockton, UWFK President/CEO. “We are grateful to our volunteers; their time and talents made it possible for us to be able to again offer this free service for Keys residents. As one of the only local free tax preparation choices, we know how important this program is to help families and individuals save money on their tax preparation and maximize their refunds. Through our program, it enables our low to moderate income clients to use their limited funds for other expenses.”
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