SANTA BARBARA — As we head into tax season, United Way of Santa Barbara County (UWSBC) will be providing free income tax return preparation and E-Filing to help residents receive their tax refunds at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) locations throughout Santa Barbara County.
VITA tax assistance sites offer free bi-lingual tax return prep and filing for individuals/families earning less than $56,000
Throughout February 1 through April 15, at eight free VITA tax preparation sites, volunteers will help working families and individuals file their state and federal tax return and access the tax credits. Households earning up to $56,000 in 2019 are eligible to use the free services of a VITA site.
They may also qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which is a tax credit for low- to moderate-income working families and individuals. The EITC can help you reduce your tax liability and, in many cases, save you money. To qualify for the EITC, you must have worked at least part of 2019 and meet certain income requirements. All you need to do to take advantage of this credit is to file your state and federal tax returns.
Additional $1,000 for Families with Children under 6: If you have a young child in the home who is under 6 years old or younger and qualify for CalEITC, you might be eligible for an additional $1,000.
In 2019, VITA volunteers in Santa Barbara County helped submit 3,030 tax returns, resulting in $2,642,130 in refunds with an estimated savings of $264,213 in tax preparation.
Tax preparation services will be available at eight VITA sites in the Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Solvang area beginning February 1 through April 15. To find site locations and hours, or to file your taxes yourself online for free, please visit http://www.unitedwaysb.org/vita.
About United Way of Santa Barbara County: United Way of Santa Barbara County (UWSBC) has the unique and positive vision that “in our community, everyone has a hopeful future.” Since 1923, UWSBC has served Santa Barbara County community through funding, volunteer development, and by utilizing its own unique initiatives that involve dozens of local non-profit and public sector agencies. UWSBC’s local community driven Power of Partnership™ priorities help children, families & seniors with a focus on Education, Income and Health.