County Offers Free Tax Help for Eligible Residents

For Immediate Release: Thursday, January 23, 2020

County residents earning $56,000 or less can schedule an appointment for free tax preparation through the Community Action Agency's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.   Free tax assistance is available now through April 15, 2020 at sites throughout the county: Gaithersburg (Mondays), Silver Spring (Tuesdays), Rockville (Wednesdays), East County and Germantown (Thursdays), and Wheaton (Fridays).

            To make an appointment, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/cashback , call 240-777-1123 or call 3-1-1. TTY users, please call MD Relay (711). To request special accommodations, call 240-777-1123 at least three business days in advance of appointment. 

 “Free tax help assures that County residents most in need of high-quality tax preparation have that access and can fully utilize their refunds to pay for critical family needs,” said County Executive Marc Elrich.  “I applaud the efforts of the IRS-certified volunteers affiliated with VITA who make this possible and appreciate that businesses and community partners are helping spread the word about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), one of the most effective tools available to reduce poverty.”   

Part of the County's Department of Health and Human Services, the Community Action Agency (CAA) is the County’s federally designated antipoverty program.  Through outreach efforts, the CAA works to inform the public about VITA services and Earned-Income Tax Credits, as well as provides services for Limited English Proficient taxpayers, seniors, and persons with disabilities.  In tax year 2018, Community Action’s VITA program served 2,200 individuals and families, helping these households receive $5.6 million in tax refunds, including $1.4 million in EITC.  Seventy-six IRS certified volunteers provided over 3,000 hours assisting taxpayers in preparing returns, providing interpretation, or serving in other roles.  

            Community Action Agency's VITA partners include the United Way of the National Capital Area, the Coalition for the Advancement of Financial Education (CAFE Montgomery), the CASH Campaign of Maryland, the City of Gaithersburg (Bank On), the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center, MCPS Head Start/PreK, Montgomery College, University of Maryland, WorkSource Montgomery, the East County and UpCounty Regional Services Centers, and MC311. 

            For more information, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/cashback. 

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Release ID: 20-023
Media Contact: Mary Anderson 240-777-6534