Free Tax Prep, Real Savings

We share how to file a simple return for free with IRS-certified volunteers, what to bring, who qualifies, and why filing on time supports bigger goals like homebuying and emergency savings. Super Tax Day details, ongoing site access, and added community resources round it out.

• what VITA is and who it serves
• why free beats low cost on simple returns
• super tax day time, place, and flow
• ongoing locations through April 15
• income limits and eligible return types
• documents to bring and direct deposit
• avoiding predatory services
• extra benefits like classes and community resources
• importance of filing even with no refund
• where to find accurate site information

Subscribe to the Money Matters Podcast, and visit neighborsfcu.org/learn/financial-wellness/view-all-financial-resources for more tools to help you build a strong financial future

Chapters

• 0:02 Welcome And Guest Intro
• 0:45 What VITA Is And Who It Serves
• 2:41 Free Vs Paid Tax Prep
• 3:21 Super Tax Day Details
• 4:13 Sites, Dates, And How To Access
• 4:41 Income Limits And Eligible Returns
• 5:17 What To Bring And Direct Deposit
• 6:37 Why Filing Matters Even Without Refund
• 7:07 Extra Benefits And Community Resources
• 9:01 Certified Preparers And Where To Learn More
• 10:21 Closing And Action Steps

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:02

Welcome to Money Matters, the podcast that focuses on how to use the money you have, make the money you need, and save the money you want. Now, here is your host, Ms. Kim Chapman.

SPEAKER_01: 0:14

Welcome back to another edition of Money Matters. Today I am welcoming back from the Capital Area United Way, Miss Crystal Ward. Have you ever wondered, hey, are you paying too much to have your taxes done? Maybe you just don't even like dealing with your taxes at all. Well, today we're going to talk about maybe some ways that you can put some money back in your pocket when we're talking about income tax.

SPEAKER_02: 0:35

So welcome, Crystal. Thanks, Ms. Kim. Thanks for having me back.

SPEAKER_01: 0:39

Your favorite subject? Definitely not nobody else's.

SPEAKER_02: 0:42

And I don't know if it's mine either.

SPEAKER_01: 0:45

So just to get started, for somebody that may not be familiar with you, because you've been on the show before, give us a little bit about your background and what you do at the Capitol Area United Way.

SPEAKER_02: 0:53

Sure. My name is Crystal Ward. I um I get to serve as the senior director of Community Impact. And so, in a nutshell, I help with a lot of the programs. Uh Vita being one of them, 211, uh Bank on Baton Rouge, our family stability program. So Alice Childcare Scholarship, all of the programs that we put out into the community to help with uh resources to bring our Alice community up.

SPEAKER_01: 1:18

You know, and I I guess taxes can go either way. Some people maybe look forward to it because they're getting that refund. And then there are those that have to pay, and, you know, it's kind of like a taboo. But what do you find from your perspective the biggest challenges that consumers face during tax season?

SPEAKER_02: 1:34

Yeah, so I think the biggest challenge is understanding. You know, I don't I don't think a lot of people fully understand taxes and the benefits that can come from doing your taxes yearly. Um, so I think it's just the lack of understanding and resources. You know, where do they go to get that understanding of how to effectively get their taxes done to be a benefit to their household?

SPEAKER_01: 1:57

So I think you'll agree, Vita is probably a really well-kept secret. So what is Vita? What does it stand for and what is this program about?

SPEAKER_02: 2:06

Yeah, so Vita is volunteer income tax assistance program. And so the program is in place to help our Alice community, which is asset limited, income constrained, um, but employed community members get their taxes done completely for free. Um zero dollars. You don't have to pay any dollars to get it done for free, which puts more dollars back into that household, right? Right, which puts more money back into our economy. So that's what our VIDA program is particularly um about.

SPEAKER_01: 2:37

So how does this differ from traditional income tax prep preparation organizations?

SPEAKER_02: 2:41

Yeah, so like I said, it's no cost, it's not low cost, it's no cost. So you get your taxes done um for zero dollars. And on our super tax day, you can actually come in, no appointment required, and we have trained, licensed, uh, licensed tax preparers that can do your taxes for free. And you get them done completely for free. You get your 1040 that day and you walk out knowing exactly how much your refund will be.

SPEAKER_01: 3:07

All right. So since you've already kind of let the cat out the bag, talk up, talk to us about when is super tax day, and then we'll kind of follow that up with what happens if they're listening to this after that date passes or they just can't make it on that particular day.

SPEAKER_02: 3:21

Yeah, so um, so super tax day, super excited. We're about a week out. Um, it is for our EBR area uh February 28th over at the Goodwood Branch Library. Um, it officially starts at 9 a.m. However, I hear a lot of people kind of come and get in line early. Um, and you go and you get your taxes done completely for free. It'll run from 9 to 3 that day. If you miss that date, we will have branches, locations that will be open in our 10 parish radius. Um, get on our website, cauw.org, um, check out our Vita program and find a location that's close to you, and you can either go in and schedule an appointment or you can drop off your documents and still get it done completely for free.

SPEAKER_01: 4:05

And so you mentioned if they can't make it on SuperTax Day, which again is February 28th, they can sign up to go to one of the different sites. And is there a time frame for that? Is that through April 15th?

SPEAKER_02: 4:16

It is. It's through April 15th, but we do have one location that will go until the fall, which is Catholic Charities. So all of the other branches locations will go until April 15th. But even if you're a late preparer like some people I know, sometimes me, um, you um you can check out Catholic charities as well, and that's by appointment.

SPEAKER_01: 4:36

All right. So I'm sure when we talk about free taxes being done, people are excited. But who typically qualifies for this?

SPEAKER_02: 4:44

Yeah, so it is um based on income. We like to see um no more than$70,000 a year in income in the household.

SPEAKER_01: 4:51

Um and that's an increase. I think we've been doing this for a couple of years, and I want to say I can remember it being maybe$57,000, so it's an increase. So$70,000 is the limit.

SPEAKER_02: 5:00

Typically, yeah, we kind of hover around$67,000, you know,$70,000. Um, and yeah,$70,000 or below, um, would we we welcome you guys to kind of come in and get them done for free? I'm sorry I lost my train of thought.

SPEAKER_01: 5:16

That's okay, because taxes can can blow the mind. And so when you think about that, because it's the different forms, right? There is the easy forms. What forms do you normally take for this event for the free service?

SPEAKER_02: 5:27

So, yeah, so we want the the simple taxes, right?

SPEAKER_01: 5:31

Can taxes ever really be simple?

SPEAKER_02: 5:35

No, but um, we want the ones that, you know, more simpler ones. If it's married, file, and separately, or you have a bunch of schedules and things of that nature, we kind of steer away from those. But if it's a simple tax return, you just typically have a W-2, right? We invite you to come in and your income fits the bracket. Come on in. Let us get it done for free so you can put more of those dollars back in your pocket.

SPEAKER_01: 5:57

So being that it's simple, what documents, what should prepare um individuals bring in to Super Tax Day or bring in if they even schedule an appointment?

SPEAKER_02: 6:05

Yeah. So um Social Security cards, your W-2s, of course, last year's tax returns, and checking or savings account information. Um, that's a kind of a change this year. I mean, we wanted it in previous years, but now because the government is no longer offering those paper checks, we really, really encourage everybody to get those checking accounts. Um, and Bank on Baton Rouge has free checking accounts. Um and so um, yeah, your check-in and savings account information.

SPEAKER_01: 6:35

You know, some people don't file taxes. Why is it important for somebody to file, even if they don't think they're gonna get a refund?

SPEAKER_02: 6:42

It's our duty, right? Um, I think it's a requirement for us to just let's say you're interested in buying a home the following year or you want to start a business, you're gonna need those tax returns, right? It's just important just to have your documents in place and in line because you never know what the future holds.

SPEAKER_01: 6:59

All right. And you mentioned, of course, I think free should be the best benefit, but what are some other benefits of being able to utilize that service?

SPEAKER_02: 7:07

Yeah, so we also will have um financial literacy classes going on throughout the day. We'll have a few of our vendors that will be tabling, family services will be there, mid-city redevelopment, some of our financial partners will be there. Um, you know, there will be free refreshments. There will also be some giveaways if you if you participate in those financial literacy classes. So come in, take advantage. Um, if you get your taxes done for free, that also puts more dollars back into your pocket, right? Back into the household. Um, and then we'll have you'll be able to talk to some of the members of the Capital Area United Way team. So you'll find out about 211. You can find out about our family stability uh program, you can find about our Alice Childcare Scholarship, which also offers stipends to community members that need help with child care costs.

SPEAKER_01: 7:57

So you can come for free taxes and walk away with a wealth of a lot of information.

SPEAKER_02: 8:01

Yes, yes, and we encourage it. Please come out, please come out and see us.

SPEAKER_01: 8:06

Okay. What is the time frame again for this?

SPEAKER_02: 8:10

Yeah, so um time frame for that particular day is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 28th at Goodwood Branch. But if you missed that day, check out our website and this program will run through April 15th, and we we we do have one location that will go into the fall, which is Catholic Charities.

SPEAKER_01: 8:30

And I'm gonna test your memory because I heard you talk about this the other day. On average, how much are you saving per household for individuals that take advantage of this opportunity?

SPEAKER_02: 8:39

Oh, per household. Oh my gosh, I cannot remember that, Kim. What did I say?

SPEAKER_01: 8:44

I cannot. Um I know it was several hundred dollars. And so just as a just as another benefit.

SPEAKER_02: 8:49

Yeah, I know last year we put about um we covered about seven million in taxes. Um, and I think it's about four hundred dollars per household, if I'm not mistaken. Let me double check that. Okay.

SPEAKER_01: 9:01

Yeah, we won't hold you in a quote, but the you know, the point is that yes, you know, whether it's an individual, whether it's a family, there's definitely a benefit free taxes. That's more money you could put back in your pocket. Yes. You know, and definitely that's money you can save, add to that emergency fund.

SPEAKER_02: 9:15

Right. Yeah, yeah. Because that's that's all needs, right? Especially the economy we're living in now. We definitely need to build up those emergency funds um to make sure we have that nice nest egg in the event something happens.

SPEAKER_01: 9:28

And I wanted you to reiterate again, uh, these are all certified train preparers.

SPEAKER_02: 9:33

They all go through um training. They have to get um trained through the IRS, and we begin our training a few months before. Some people get that training done several months before, but they do have to go through the IRS um to get certified to become trained. Yeah.

unknown: 9:48

Okay.

SPEAKER_01: 9:49

And where else can they find additional information? If, you know, tax day again may have passed by the time they see this or they just weren't able to attend and they want to look at those 10 parishes. Should I put you on the spot and have you list them? Or you can give the website and that way they can find those 10 parishes.

SPEAKER_02: 10:03

Let me give you guys that website. Uh cau.org backslash vita and um check out all 10 of those parishes. Uh this Saturday, we'll actually be in Donaldsonville conducting conducting a super tax day. And that one is from 9 to 3 as well. But check out our website, y'all, CAUW.org.

SPEAKER_01: 10:24

All right. Well, there you have it. One of the best kept secrets. If you want a way to keep some money in your pocket, don't pay somebody to do your taxes, come to the Vita program, Super Tax Day, February 28th at the Goodwood Library on what? Goodwood Boulevard, right? I think it's 7811, but don't quote me on that. And then if you're not able to attend that, check it out on the website. You can still sign up to have an appointment to get those taxes done. Well, Crystal, thank you for that good valuable information. Uh, like I said, I know it's gonna help a lot of people save money instead of having to pay to have those taxes done.

SPEAKER_02: 10:56

Yeah, yeah. Thank you so much, Miss Kim, for having me.

SPEAKER_00: 11:01

It's time for blueprint building blocks. Small changes that lead to big financial wins. Let's stack up for success.

SPEAKER_01: 11:10

Build awareness. If you haven't filed yet, explore Vita. Free tax preparation can help you claim refunds and credits that support your overall financial goals. You want to protect your money, avoid those high tax prep fees and predatory services. You want to use trusted programs like Vita with certified volunteers. And then finally, plan your next step. This week you can take one action, gather those tax documents. I know you want to put it off, mark Saturday, February 28th on your calendar, or look up additional vital locations if you can't make it to Super Tax Day.

SPEAKER_00: 11:47

That's a wrap on today's Blueprint Building Blocks. Stay on track with your financial journey, subscribe to the Money Matters Podcast, and visit neighborsfcu.orgslash financial wellness for more tools to help you build a strong financial future.