There's free help in Florida for filing income-tax returns

By Pat Hatfield
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Feb 4, 2009 - 8:59:37am

Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida wants you to know there's free online help for middle- and low-income taxpayers to file their federal income taxes.

That help is called I-CAN! It's Web-based software available in English and Spanish.

And, it's very easy to use, Legal Services Campaign and Communications Manager Larry Glinzman told The Beacon.

"Taxes are easy to do with I-CAN! E-file, and you don't need to be a computer expert," he said.

You'll be led through simple questions, and I-CAN! will prepare your return electronically. I CAN! is an authorized IRS E-filer.

The free service covers workers who have up to about $54,000 in income.

Just answer simple questions, and the program will prepare your tax forms for you. It will also apply for any Earned Income Tax Credit for which you may be eligible, at the same time.

I-CAN is available to those who live in the service area of Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida. That covers Volusia, Brevard, Citrus, Flagler, Hernando, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Putnam, Seminole and Sumter counties.

Go to the Web sitewww.icanefile.org?caller=895.

What is the Earned Income Tax Credit?

The Internal Revenue Service estimates that 20 percent to 25 percent of eligible taxpayers fail to claim the credit which could put as much as $4,824 into the pockets of a family with two children, or up to $438 for a worker with no children.

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is the federal government’s largest anti-poverty program benefiting lower-earning workers.

“The extra dollars eligible taxpayers can get through EITC can make their lives a little easier,” Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida tax advocate Sandra Piquet said, “but they must file tax returns, even if they aren’t required to file, and claim the credit to receive it. Most people don’t realize they don’t have to work all year to file a tax return and claim this valuable benefit.”

Piquet said some individuals and families may qualify for the credit for the first time because of unemployment or other changes in their financial, marital or parental status during the past year. But, not having claimed it before, they may not know that they now qualify or how to go about claiming it.

Taxpayers with earnings of or below $38,646 ($41,646 if married filing jointly) for families with two or more children; $33,995 ($36,995 married filing jointly) for families with one child; or $12,880 ($15,880 married filing jointly) if there are no children, should check to see if they qualify.

More help available

Piquet provides workshops on taxpayers' rights and responsibilities in English and Spanish. If you're in legal difficulties with the IRS, she and the Community Legal Services team might be able to help.

Call the Community Legal Services Low-Income Tax Clinic at 1-866-886-1799, or the general help line at 1-800-363-2357.

In DeLand, the organization offers a free legal clinic at 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at The House Next Door, 804 N. Woodland Blvd.

— pat@beacononlinenews.com

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