New from Brookings: Tinkering with the EITC

"While You Were Sleeping: Tinkering with the Earned Income Tax Credit" by Alan Berube, Senior Fellow and Research Director, Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings

"Last week was an active one for America's stealth anti-poverty policy- the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)- though you'd be forgiven for not noticing.  A couple of decisions, made with little fanfare, should have big implications for how low-income taxpayers receive the credit in the future."

Read the article from Brookings....

Posted by Carolyn Spohrer at 12:48 PM - Categories: Press Releases | VITA

Brookings New Factsheet "The Child Tax Credit After ARRA"

Elizabeth Kneebone, Senior Research Analyst, Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution has released "The Child Tax Credit after ARRA: How Would Expiration Affect Metropolitan Families?"

"The Child Tax Credit's $3000 earnings threshold put into place by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is set to expire after tax year 2010.  This factsheet uses our MetroTax Model to estimate the number of working families that would see their Child Tax Credit (CTC) reduced or eliminated if policymakers allow the CTC's earnings threshold to revert to pre-ARRA levels."

Read more....

Posted by Carolyn Spohrer at 9:00 AM - Categories: Press Releases | VITA

Virginia CASH Campaign Results

VACAP is pleased to announce the final free tax preparation results from its 28 coalitions:

• # federal returns filed electronically- 18,511
• # federal returns filed by paper- 893
• Total federal refunds- $25,901,558
• Tax preparation savings- $3,702,200 (approx $200/return)
• # EITC returns- 6,463
• Total EITC refunds- $9,164,155

See more results....

Posted by Carolyn Spohrer at 11:49 AM - Categories: Coalition Partners | Press Releases | VITA

Chesterfield County Free Tax Prep in the News

April 22, 2010 from Midlothianexchange.com-

Volunteers from Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services completed and filed 198 returns for taxpayers as part of the regional MetroCASH program.  The 198 returns is a record for this site.

Read more from Midlothianexchange.com....

Posted by Carolyn Spohrer at 2:00 PM - Categories: Coalition Partners | Press Releases

Virginia Volunteer Week is April 18-24

Our volunteers are priceless.  Let's honor them during Virginia Volunteer Week, April 18-24.

Read the Proclamation from Gov. McDonnell....

Read the Volunteer Virginia Newsletter....

Posted by Carolyn Spohrer at 8:54 AM - Categories: Press Releases

Loudoun County News Release

March 23, 2010-  The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program is in full swing in Loudoun County, providing free tax services to families earning less than $49,000 a year.  The program provides one-on-one assistance to customers on a walk-in basis.

Read more about Loudoun County free tax preparation program....

Posted by Carolyn Spohrer at 3:11 PM - Categories: Coalition Partners | Press Releases | VITA

Northern Virginia CASH on CNN

Northern Virginia CASH Free Tax Preparation program was recently highlighted on CNN and 80 of its national affiliates.  The short piece featuring Fairfax County VITA Volunteer Justin Miller aired locally in DC.

WUSA on the air in DC....

Just News in Miami....

Posted by Carolyn Spohrer at 8:21 AM - Categories: Coalition Partners | Press Releases | VITA