Naomi Kjer
Marketing Manager
United Way of Escambia County
FILE YOUR TAXES WITH UNITED WAY’S FREE TAX PROGRAMS
Pensacola, Fla. – January 17, 2018
Keep your money! If you or your household make $66,000 or less, United Way of Escambia County (UWEC) offers free tax preparation services. Maximize your money by filing quickly and securely online, or visit one of our conveniently located VITA sites for one-on-one help with an IRS-certified volunteer.
- Online – File taxes anywhere, anytime at www.myfreetaxes.com. If you have questions, call the MyFreeTaxes Helpline at 1-855-698-9435.
- In-person – Go to a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site and have an IRS-certified volunteer prepare taxes. Dial 2-1-1 or visit www.unitedwayescambia.org/taxhelp for locations and hours of operation.
VITA sites open on January 30 with the help of partners at Pensacola State College and the Escambia County School District. United Way has also partnered with Impact America – Florida to grow VITA volunteer capacity at tax prep sites by engaging students and college graduates to address community needs. Additional program sponsors are Regions, Wells Fargo, and Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
“United Way’s Tax Preparation programs are vital to our community. Instead of spending hundreds of dollars in preparation fees, these free programs help local citizens keep money in their pockets. In turn, money saved could then be used to create a savings account or emergency funds to put a family on the path to financial stability,” said Katrina Madden, UWEC Financial Stability Program Outreach Manager.
Last year, United Way’s Tax Preparation programs helped 3,683 individuals and families for a total impact of $6,634,123 in our community.
Be sure to have the following documents on-hand when filing your taxes: state or federal photo identification; Social Security cards for all members of the household; all W2s, 1095s, 1098s, 1099s; childcare provider’s information; investment statements and other tax forms; amounts of other income; bank account information for direct deposit; and last year’s tax return if available.
Marketing materials containing information about these two tax assistance programs are available for distribution. To request the free materials and for questions concerning VITA or MyFreeTaxes.com, contact Katrina Madden, UWEC Financial Stability Program Outreach Manager, at vita@unitedwayescambia.org or call 850-912-8245.
By living core values of serving the community with Integrity, Leadership, Inclusiveness, Volunteerism and Excellence (I LIVE), United Way of Escambia County is working to meet a mission of uniting our community and leveraging resources to improve lives.
