With the annual tax season upon us, local partners are coming together again to host free tax preparation sites that will allow low-to-moderate income residents to get the tax credits they deserve, and put more money into their pockets.
In 2011, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-Chicago, Kishwaukee United Way and other community organizations first came together to assist families in DeKalb County. The local group’s, the DeKalb County CA$H Coalition, goal is to increase the number of people eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) in DeKalb County. Each year, hundreds of residents miss out on funds that are due to them as a part of their tax return. The acronym CA$H stands for “Creating Assets, Savings and Hope”. The group’s mission is to help create financial stability for local families by providing educational tools and resources for family asset development through access to tax credits, quality volunteer tax return preparation, and other asset building programs. Members of this coalition include Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois, Kishwaukee United Way, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Northern Illinois University’s College of Business, and DeKalb County Community Services.
For their part, Goodwill Industries and AARP will host local VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) sites throughout DeKalb County. Goodwill’s site will be at the DeKalb store location at 1037 South Annie Glidden Road in DeKalb and will host volunteers from the Accountancy Program at NIU’s College of Business on Tuesdays from 3 to 8 pm and Saturdays 9 am to 3 pm January 26 through April 13, 2013. This year Goodwill has opened an additional site on Northern Illinois University’s campus—in the Student Lounge of Founders Memorial Library. This site is open Wednesdays 4 to 8 pm. The VITA Volunteer Tax Preparers will be IRS-certified to assist community members in claiming any special credits and deductions for which they may be eligible. This program is open to families with incomes less than $50,000 per year and individuals with incomes less than $25,000 for 2012.
115 North First Street Phone: 815.756.7522
PO Box 311 Fax: 815.748.5142
DeKalb, IL 60115 Email: dawn@kishwaukeeunitedway.com
AARP Tax-Aide’s sites will be at:
• DeKalb County Community Outreach Building, 2500 N. Annie Glidden Road, DeKalb, Thursdays 9 am – 12 pm and
• DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak Street, Saturdays 9:30 am – 12:30 pm, 815.756.9568 1 – 4 pm by appointment only, 815.758.3910
• DeKalb Senior Service Center, 330 Grove, Suite# 3, DeKalb, Tuesdays 1 – 4 pm by appointment only, 815.758.4718
• Sycamore Methodist Church, 160 Johnson Avenue, Sycamore, Wednesdays 12 – 4 pm (*No admittance before 12:00pm), 815.757.1800
• IDEAL Industries Product Training Room, 1022 Park Avenue, Sycamore Saturdays 9am – 12 pm
• Kirkland Municipal Building, 511 W. Main Street, Kirkland Tuesdays 1 – 4 pm or
• Resource Bank, 310 S. IL Route 23, Genoa Fridays & Saturdays 9 am – 12 pm, 815.784.8301 by appointment, 815.522.6179 or 815.784.6040
These sites will offer free assistance to those with low-to-moderate incomes, including the elderly and persons with disabilities however no income guidelines apply. To get further information about specific sites, or to volunteer to help, contact Kishwaukee United Way at 815.756.7522 or email: info@kishwaukeeunitedway.com
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