Braving the rain, residents gathered at Senator Janet Nguyen’s District Office in Garden Grove to file their taxes as part of a free income tax preparation event. The four-hour event, hosted in partnership with Orange County United Way, CalEITC4Me, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), featured a visit from the eBus, dinner, and community resources.
“Beyond helping residents meet their fiscal duty, we want to make sure they access deductions and tax credits that can help them keep more of their hard-earned dollars,” said Nguyen. “The services rendered today have a real world impact on the economic wellbeing of our residents and I am pleased to bring this service to the community.”
In an effort to serve as many residents as possible, the event welcomed the eBus, a self-powered, mobile technology center that served as the hub for tax preparation assistance. On the bus, residents met with volunteer income tax preparers on a one-on-one basis who worked diligently to assist them. While they waited for their taxes to be completed, residents enjoyed dinner and visited a resource room that featured information materials from participating partner agencies. The event also welcomed special guests among them Nguyen, OC United Way CEO Sue Parks, CalEITC4Me Representative Blanca Lopez, and IRS Representative Annette Barcelo.
Apart from helping residents file their taxes at no cost, this event also sought to promote the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC). Created in 2015, CalEITC, supported and championed by Nguyen, is a cash-back credit that seeks to return money to low-income working residents. For the 2017 tax year, families earning wages or self-employment income up to $22,300 may qualify for this credit. In 2016 alone, CalEITC helped return more than $9 million to Orange County.
“This event is truly volunteer-driven and could not be possible without the help of dozens of community members who have undergone rigorous testing to volunteer here today,” said Nguyen. “Thanks to our volunteers and our wonderful partners, Orange County United Way, CalEITC4Me, and the IRS we were able to help dozens of families.”
Residents who have yet to file their taxes can visit www.unitedwayoc.org to make an appointment at a free income tax preparation site in Orange County or can file their taxes online for free using www.myfreetaxes.com.
