Here's How to Get Free Income Tax Preparation in Riverside County

The following is a news release from Community Action Partnership of Riverside County:

CAP Riverside’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) will be offering free income tax preparation at 21 locations in Riverside County beginning on January 31, 2015.

The IRS trained and certified VITA tax preparers help tax filers claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which is provided as an incentive by the federal government for those who are or were employed during that tax-filing period. Some working families or individuals could qualify for up to $6,143 in Earned Income Tax Credits. A tax return must be filed in order to claim the EITC. Many individuals do not file tax returns because they do not owe taxes, but by failing to file they miss out on this money which is rightfully theirs. When claimed, EITC boosts household income up to 45%

Every year, millions of people miss this potentially life-changing credit because they do not know about it. Over one third of workers who qualify for EITC are eligible for the first time this year. People move in and out of EITC eligibility due to life changes such as income amounts, marital or parental status. Each year the credit lifts about 6 million people nationwide out of poverty and over half of these are children. Last year, more than 28 million workers received nearly $66 billion in EITC.

EITC is designed to “make work pay,” by supplementing eligible workers’ earnings with additional income. The amount of the credit varies depending on filing status, the number of qualifying children, if any, and the amount of earnings. This could mean up to $496 in EITC for people without children, and a maximum credit of up to $6,143 for those with three or more qualifying children. The average amount of EITC distributed is $2,400. This money not only helps workers and their families, but the communities in which they live.

For working families or individuals making less than $52,427, free tax preparation is provided through the VITA program. CAP Riverside has over 200 IRS certified tax preparers. Tax centers are available throughout Riverside County starting January 31; site location information is available by calling 2-1-1, 1-800-511-1110, or visiting .www.capriverside.org.

Tax prep locations and times:

• BANNING

Banning Senior Center

769 N. San Gorgonio Avenue

Banning

Wednesday, 9am – noon

• BEAUMONT

Albert Chatigny Community Center

1310 Oak Valley Parkway

• Beaumont

Tue. & Thu., 8:30am—12:30pm

(Call for appointment, (951) 769-8539)

• BLYTHE

Blythe Senior Center

445 North Broadway, Blythe

Mon., Tue., Wed., Thu., 9am - noon

Call for appointment, (760) 922-8830

• COACHELLA

Center for Employment Training

49111 State Highway 111

• Coachella

Friday, 4pm – 8pm

Saturday, 9am – 4pm

• DESERT HOT SPRINGS

Desert Hot Springs Family Resource Center

14201 Palm Drive, Suite 108, Desert Hot Springs

Wed. & Thu., 9:30am - 3:30pm

Call for appointment, (760) 288-3313

• HIGHGROVE

Highgrove Library

530 Center Street, Riverside

Friday, noon - 5pm

Saturday, 10am - 2pm

• INDIO

Martha’s Village & Kitchen

83-791 Date Avenue, Indio

Saturday, 9am - 1pm

Call for appointment, (760) 347-4741

• JURUPA VALLEY

Glen Avon Library

9244 Galena Street, Jurupa Valley

Tuesday, 10am – 2pm

Tuesday, 3:30pm - 6:30pm

Louis Robidoux Library

5840 Mission Blvd., Jurupa Valley

Saturday, 10:30am - 4:30pm

• LAKE ELSINORE

Lake Elsinore Senior Center

420 East Lakeshore Drive,

• Lake Elsinore

Wed. & Fri., 9:30am - 1:30pm

Call for appointment, (951) 674-2526

• MEAD VALLEY

Mead Valley Community Center

21091 Rider Street, Perris

Thursday, 8:30am - 12:30pm

• MECCA

Mecca Family & Farmworkers Resource Center

91-275 Avenue 66, Suite 100

• Mecca

Mon., Tue., Wed., Thu., 8am - 4pm

• MORENO VALLEY

Moreno Valley College

16130 Lasselle St., Moreno Valley

(Lion’s Den Café)

Saturday, 9:30am - 2pm

Moreno Valley Library

25480 Alessandro Blvd.

• Moreno Valley

Wednesday, 3pm - 7pm

• NORCO

Norco College

2001 Third Street, Norco

(Industrial Technology, Room 208)

Saturday, 8:30am - 12:30pm

• PERRIS

Perris Valley Family Resource Center.

371 Wilkerson Avenue, Suite L

• Perris

Thursday, 1:30pm - 4:30pm

Friday, 10am - 4pm

• RIVERSIDE

Casa Blanca Library

2985 Madison Street, Riverside

Friday, 10am – 3pm

Saturday 10am – 3pm

Cesar Chavez Community Center

2060 University Avenue, Riverside

Tue., Wed., Thu. 3:30pm - 6:30pm

Riverside City College

4800 Magnolia Avenue, Riverside

(Business Education, Room 104)

Saturday, 9am - 3pm

• SAN JACINTO

Mt. San Jacinto College

1499 N. State Street, San Jacinto

(Building 100, Room 109)

Saturday, 10am - 4pm

• VIRTUAL DROP-OFF LOCATIONS:

Banning Senior Center

Casa Blanca Library, Riverside

CAP Riverside

2038 Iowa Avenue, Suite B-102

Riverside

(Image via Shutterstock)