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Free tax preparation services available to eligible families

News Enterprise - 2/13/2017

Free tax preparation services are available this year to eligible families or those needing assistance.

Helping Hand of Hope is partnering with the United Way of Central Kentucky and others to offer free income tax preparation services for Hardin County residents who made up to $54,000 in 2016.

The program - nationally known as Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA - connects local IRS-certified volunteers in touch with residents who are completing their taxes while determining if they qualify for credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit.

Last year, at the Helping Hand of Hope site, more than 130 residents received free tax preparation services, which resulted in more than $200,000 in refunds. The program featured seven volunteers helping those in need.

"Our expectations were far exceeded, and we expect this year to be even better," said Hardin County VITA coordinator Kimberly Burns in a news release. "We have wonderful volunteers ready to help these families with their tax-preparation needs."

The Earned Income and Child Tax credits are among the nation's most effective anti-poverty tools for working families. Only those who are employed are eligible for the credits, which in 2016 allowed 476,000 working parents and 38,000 military and veteran families in Kentucky to keep more of what they earn, according to the release.

"This is money that is being fueled back into our local economy," said Megan Stith, president and CEO of United Way of Central Kentucky. "Families can use these refunds to pay for work supports like a down payment on a more reliable car, or stocking their pantries to feed their children.

"This year, volunteers will also provide helpful resources for clients, such as information about 2-1-1 and how to develop a plan for saving their tax refunds," she added.

2-1-1 is a phone number that provides information about health and human services free of charge, 24 hours a day, and in multiple languages. Trained specialists provide confidential referrals to callers using a centralized listing of local services that might be available.

The VITA site electronically files tax returns, which enables clients to receive refunds sooner.

The program's schedule for the Helping Hand of Hope site at 6796 S. Wilson Road, Elizabethtown, is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. alternating Saturdays. Call 270-769-3092 for more information.

Ryan Alves can be reached at 270-505-1747 or ralves@thenewsenterprise.com.