Make your money stretch...

A work support at tax time that works for you!

An 8% increase of dollars flowing (back) to the Massachusetts families who earned it! How often does that happen?!

Last tax season, the IRS reports that a new high of $568 million of federal EITC was claimed by eligible Massachusetts families. As Massachusetts matches the federal EITC by 15%, another $8.5 went back to working families...most of it getting pumped back into the economy. Needed for our economy and working families in these tough economic times!

"What is the Earned Income Tax Credit?" you may ask. Many people of all income strata continue to ask this question...including the 15-20% of Massachusetts residents who do not claim the refund yet are eligible. EITC is a tax credit for working people, and is refundable. This means it will first be used to lower any income tax owed, and, if the credit is higher, it will be refunded back to you. EITC is part of tax law since the 70s to encourage work and lift people out of poverty...and it works. Many are not aware of EITC...or are unsure of how to claim it.

You may be eligible...if you worked and earned income in 2008, and you have a valid social security number, and:

If your family has	and you earned less than	you can get up to (federal & state)
No qualifying children	$15,880	$504
One qualifying child	$36,995	$3355
Two or more qualifying children	$41,646	$5548

For income eligible folks, there are over 80 FREE tax preparation sites across the Commonwealth (and hundreds more targeted for the
elderly) staffed by trained volunteers and certified by the Internal Revenue
Service (IRS). To find a free tax prep site closest to you, dial 2-1-1.
You can also go to www.mass.gov/anf/masseitc (a site of a statewide EITC campaign of which UWMBMV is a partner), for locating tax sites and more information on EITC.

To do your taxes FREE online (if your income is less
than $56,000!), visit www.beehiveboston.org/taxes.

This tax season, United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley increases its investment by 50% from last year...and

supports six tax preparation sites in Boston, Lawrence, and Chelsea directly (See Chelsea and Lawrence flyers with site and partner information below. For Boston, visit www.bostontaxhelp.org).
increases awareness via media and outreach, and
recruits volunteers across sites in our geographic footprint to staff the sites.

This is an investment in work, families who need it, and our community!