Free Bilingual Tax Preparation Event Set This Weekend

Local families who received a household income of less than $50,000 will have the opportunity to use a free tax preparation service this Saturday.

The numerous tax credits available could give families extra money during these tough economic times.

State Controller John Chiang, Assembly Speaker John Perez and Los Angeles Unified School District Board Member Monica Garcia organized the service to help eligible residents claim the credits.

“We want to make sure that anyone with a tax credit doesn’t miss out on claiming them,” said Alex Barrios, information officer for the Office of the State Controller. “We encourage anybody who needs help with their tax credits, and who isn’t familiar with the forms, to come and we'll help them for free.”

Lack of professional tax guidance usually leads families to overpay their taxes and miss out on credits for which they are eligible.

“A lot of families end up leaving money on the table that they would otherwise be entitled to,” John Vigna, press secretary for Perez. “We want to make sure that the people are getting the most benefits that they can get out of the system.”

Helping Spanish-speaking Latinos get the most out of the tax system will be a priority at the event. Spanish-speaking tax advisers and information in Spanish will be available.

“The tax code and forms are written in a business-like English, which [even] a lot of native English speakers have a hard time understanding,” said Vigna. “There is a language barrier.”

The free tax services will be provided from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Santee Education Complex, 1921 South Maple Avenue in Los Angeles.

People are encouraged to call 213-620-4646 to make an appointment to ensure their space. They should bring their Social Security number, individual taxpayer identification number, legal identification, bank account number, your banks routing number, information on income and expenditures, and any tax document such as a W-2 or 1099 form.