Recipients and Providers on the Importance of Free Tax Prep

Last year, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program combined with the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program helped taxpayers file 3.6 million tax returns, including 734,000 EITC and 409,000 Child Tax Credit (CTC) claims. Corporation for Enterprise Development’s (CFED) blog post – What Free Tax Prep Means to Real Families – gives voice to those who benefit from free tax prep. Shakeila, a mother of two living on $33,000 per year, depends on VITA and describes how receiving the EITC improves her family’s financial security: “I use it to pay bills and I also put some of it towards my children’s education.”