CACLV Ready To Help YOU With Tax Returns

The end of tax season is fast approaching and the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley continues to offer the free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program at locations throughout the Lehigh Valley. CACLV has already helped many families to maximize their tax returns this year, and still has plenty of resources to assist hundreds more. The program will run until the last day of tax season, which has been extended to April 18 this year, in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, and Mt. Bethel.

Each site will have volunteers, trained by the Internal Revenue Service, to perform tax returns for households with incomes less than $49,000. Eligible families could receive and additional $1,000 and $2,500 from the Child Tax and Education Tax credits, respectively. So far this year, VITA volunteers have prepared 929 tax returns and helped local taxpayers to receive $1,654,595 in federal refunds.

Operating hours vary at the four site locations. The Allentown site, at 824 Hamilton Street, is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 1PM – 7PM, and Saturdays from 10AM – 2PM. The Bethlehem VITA site is hosted at CACLV’s Forte building at 1337 E. 5th Street and is open on Mondays from 11AM – 7PM. Easton Area Public Library, at 515 Church Street, hosts the Easton VITA site on Tuesdays from 2PM – 7PM and Saturdays from 10AM – 2PM. The Mt. Bethel site is held at Representative Joe Emrick’s Office at 5 Mt. Bethel Plaza on Thursdays from 12PM – 5PM.

For additional information please visit CACLV’s website at www.caclv.org, contact VITA Project Coordinator Susan Zlotnick at szlotnick@caclv.org or call the tax hotline at 484-893-1040. No appointment is necessary except for the Mt. Bethel location.

The Taxman Cometh

As that April 15 tax deadline draws closer and closer, it's time to do those taxes again.

If your household income is $49,000 or higher, go to someone like Lou Hershman & Associates, (521 5th St, Whitehall, PA 18052, Phone 610.821.0191). I have several friends who use him, and they swear by the guy. He's reasonable, fast and does it right the first time. He does not try to lend you your refund and charge exorbitant interest.

What if your annual household income is at or below $49,000? Then you are eligible for free tax preparation and e-filing through the Money in Your Pocket campaign. This free service is offered by CACLV spinoff Community Action Financial Services, in partnership with the Internal Revenue Service.

Call (484) 893-1040 now to make your appointment.

Depending on family size and income, you could be eligible for a refund of up to $5,657 with the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Last year, CACLV filed 1,218 tax returns for low- to moderate-income taxpayers, who received a total of $1,702,967 in refunds (an increase of more than 16% over the previous year) and saved more than $243,600 by avoiding commercial tax preparers and the high-cost refund anticipation loans they offer (assuming the average taxpayer would have spent an average of $200 for these services).

This year, tax preparation locations are in Allentown (Former WIC Office, 824 Hamilton Street; T & W 3-7 pm, Sat. 10 am-2 pm), Bethlehem (CACLV Community Room, 1337 East Fifth St.; M 2-7 pm, Sat. 10 am-2 pm), Easton (Easton Area Public Library, 515 Church Street; T 3-7 pm, Sat. 9:30 am-1:30 p.m.), and Mt. Bethel (Rep. Rich Grucela’s Office, 5 Mt. Bethel Plaza; Th. 1-5 pm).

Community Action Financial Services (CAFS), a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency-certified counseling agency, aims to increase self-sufficiency, financial literacy, and asset-building among low-income people. In addition to our Money in Your Pocket free tax preparation and e-filing (VITA) program, CAFS provides education, counseling, and assistance on home ownership, predatory lending, mortgage foreclosure, individual development accounts, and tenant and landlord rights and responsibilities.

CACLV's Free Tax Preparation Begins Today

From CACLV: - The Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley's free income tax preparation service begins today. For the seventh year, around 100 volunteers will ensure that low - to –moderate income taxpayers get all of the special tax credits for which they are eligible, save money by avoiding high-cost commercial preparers and avoid what CACLV Executive Director Alan Jennings calls “the predatory refund anticipation loans offered by companies like H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt.” Such savings can range from $100 to $400 or more.

All volunteers have been trained and certified by the Internal Revenue Service.
The locations and dates and hours of operation are as follows:

Bethlehem, 1337 East Fifth Street (CACLV offices) : Mondays from 2pm-7pm , Saturdays from 10am-2pm.

Allentown, 824 Hamilton Street (former WIC office): Tuesdays from 3pm-7pm, Wednesdays from 3pm-7pm, Saturdays from 10am-2pm.

Easton, 515 Church Street (Easton Area Public Library): Tuesdays from 3pm-7pm, Saturdays from 10am-2pm.

Mt. Bethel, 5 Mt. Bethel Plaza (Rep. Rich Grucela's office): Thursdays from 1pm-5pm
(Rep. Rich Grucela’s Office)

The agency has the expertise to prepare federal, state and local tax returns. It cannot prepare returns for taxpayers with rental income or business income requiring a Schedule C.

While the agency will accept walk-ins, taxpayers are urged to contact the agency to make an appointment. Appointments can be made by calling 484-893-1040. The agency asks taxpayers to be prepared for their appointments by bringing the following documentation: Social Security cards for every person being claimed on the tax return; proof of identification; accurate birth dates for every person being claimed on the tax return; all W2s, 1099s, and similar reports; bank routing numbers and account numbers for up to three accounts for direct deposit of refund; the name, address, and tax ID number for day care providers; college tuition and loan interest information; work related expenses, such as union dues and uniforms, paid by the taxpayer; for homeowners: proof of receipts for mortgage interest, real estate taxes, charitable contributions, and medical expenses,

If you purchased a home during the year, please bring the HUD Settlement Sheet, also known as the HUD-1, or the closing statement to the appointment.

The Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley has consistently received the IRS’s award for operating the best program in the region. In 2009, CACLV filed 1218 returns, generating refunds of $1,702,967. These refunds enabled taxpayers to pay rent or make mortgage payments, pay down debt, purchase long-delayed items or even simply take the family out to dinner, helping to stimulate the local economy. It is estimated that the agency saved taxpayers more than $244,818 by not using commercial tax preparers or refund anticipation loans.